Love Again
by shakeitsalome
Summary: The last thing she was looking for was love. She'd had it once and that was it, right? Unless she watches her step, she may end up risking her heart with another. Sheamus/OC
1. Chapter One - Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Chapter One – Blood, Sweat, and Tears

"You just have to go out there and say a few words. Thank them for the sacrifices they've made. Vince wants you to be sure and mention the company's dedication to all service members, which includes their families. Mention the check. No more than five minutes. Then you have a... Right, you know what to do."

Stephen Farrelly chuckled as his PA sheepishly tucked her phone back into her bag. After so many appearances, he did know what to do. Standing in an empty room of the new building that was being dedicated shortly, he felt uneasy. His tie was too tight, then his jacket. He raked a hand through his hair, ruining the perfectly spiked locks and gaining a groan of disapproval from Lou.

"Sorry, lass," he sighed, dropping into the chair next to her so she could fuss over him properly. He knew he could get it done quicker himself but she referred to herself as his second mother and seemed to enjoy taking care of him. "Ah just get a little nervous when dealin' with military families."

"You'll be fine."

"Sheamus?" The man that peeked into the open door leaned on a cane. Roger Wilson, a retired Marine, bore the scars of his service with a dignity Stephen admired. The shirt he wore was emblazoned with the name of the building. Stephen knew from speaking to him earlier that his wife had been the one with the idea for the center. "They're ready to start now."

Taking a deep breath, he got to his feet. The hall they walked down was empty, still smelling of fresh paint and sawdust. He glanced into the rooms they passed, smiling at the sight of new toys for children that would make use of the daycare. He could almost hear the laughter, the occasional tantrums. As they passed through the lobby he caught sight of the playground through the wall of windows. The reception desk gleamed, reflecting the image of the American flag that hung above it. What touched him most of all, though, was the collage of photos to the left.

Men and women of all ages and races. Some were snapshots of them out of uniform, caught mid-laugh as they enjoyed peaceful moments with loved ones. Others showed them in full dress, faces stoic as they posed for official portraits. Still others showed them while on duty, leaning against tanks or sitting on cots.

Knowing he was about to address the ones they had left behind, he felt a lump in his throat. He swallowed hard and turned to greet the director and members of the board.

When they entered the gymnasium he saw half of the bleachers were full. Children of all ages sat with their mothers, fathers, or grandparents. Straightening his tie as Lou left his side to claim a seat, he stepped onto the makeshift stage and waited for his turn to speak.

It came all too soon in his mind. He heard the applause as he moved to the podium, smiled upon seeing a few of the children pound their fists against their chests. The few notes he'd jotted down were tucked in his pocket, but he didn't need them. Looking out at those gathered, he cleared his throat.

"In my line of work, ah'm on the road several days a week. At times it takes me to other countries for weeks at a time. Ah once thought my job was hard, then ah was introduced to men and women who face death daily for months on end. Ah heard their stories, saw pictures of the loved ones they missed." He couldn't help but wonder if any of those he'd seen were now seated in front of him. Gripping the edges of the podium, he drew in a deep breath. "The WWE is committed to honoring the military. Ah speak for the entire company when ah say that their sacrifices are appreciated. And ah speak for everyone when ah tell yeh that it's the sacrifices that yeh've made don't go unnoticed. America thinks highly of its armed forces, that was evident to me the moment ah first stepped off the plane years ago. America also thinks highly of those left behind. The men and women who keep the home fire burnin' no matter what. Even when lives are lost, all of yeh stand up and honor those fallen with grace, humility and passion. As a pale ginger from Ireland, who understands what it's like to leave and to be left, ah'd like to say what an honor it is to be in the same room with yeh."

Pausing for a breath, and to keep his voice from breaking, he was surprised at the sound of someone clapping. It spread throughout those in attendance, causing him to relax a little. He looked out, one corner of his mouth lifting when he caught sight of a little girl on her feet. She couldn't have been more than three, the small American flag in her hand wobbling as she continued to clap. She was pulled back, blonde curls bouncing, and his gaze landed on the young woman behind her. Bright pink sweater standing out in a sea of red, white, and blue, she was holding onto the girl with one arm as she brushed tears away. Mouth dry, he licked his lips and continued.

"This place has been built with the blood of fallen heroes, the sweat of men and women who wanted to give back, and your tears. It is my hope that everyone who enters the front door is given the comfort, support and guidance they need. When ah arrived, ah spoke to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, whose dedication to this center has been steadfast." He was supposed to bring up the check that had been handed over, but he couldn't. It seemed distasteful to discuss money. So, glancing back at the woman in pink, he smiled as words came to him. "Let it be known that the WWE is determined to see that the doors never close. We will continue to give any and all assistance needed to make sure that anyone who has become widowed by a war can seek solace here. Thank you."

The woman in pink was on her feet, little girl settled on one hip, when he took his seat. Next to her was another, older girl. Blonde hair in braids, she clapped politely, looking back at the woman when the American flag jabbed her in the cheek. Stephen could almost hear her amused giggle and smiled. She looked to him, cheeks flushing at being caught, and he knew it mirrored her mother's sheepish expression. As Mrs. Wilson rose to make her closing remarks, he wondered what their story was.

He posed for photos with the people on the stage with him, unconsciously glancing to the girls and their mother. It was obvious she was their mother; each had the same shade of blonde hair. He looked again, noting that the younger girl's hair was a little darker. They were standing with another family, the older girl chatting animatedly with a boy about her age. Losing track of them as he made the rounds, shaking hands and speaking with those closest to him. Lou appeared at his side, hand on his elbow to guide him to the next stop.

A table was set up at the far end of the gymnasium and he grinned when the children already lined up started calling his name. He shrugged out of the confining jacket, handing it over to Lou. Then he loosened his tie and began rolling up his sleeves, ready for his favorite part of work.

Each time he met kids that had a dazed look in their eyes he was reminded what it was to be a fan. The elating moment of meeting someone admired. The first time he had attended a Hall of Fame ceremony he'd experienced the same awe, unable to believe he was in the same building as the legends that had inspired his dream. He tried to remember that feeling every time a fan met him, but especially when it was a child. Still awed that people wanted to see him, much less speak to him, he tried his best to give them all a moment they would remember.

He signed magazines, a few posters, even a t-shirt. As he received hugs and made a show of feeling the biceps of young boys, he couldn't help but wonder if any of them would one day be in the ring. He hoped so. Would he come face to face with one some day and learn he had inspired them?

"Mommy! It's Sheamy!"

The high-pitched voice brought his head up and he smiled at the sight of the little girl he'd noticed earlier. Clutching her mother's hands, her brown eyes were wide as she stared at him. When he leaned across the table so he was closer to her level she grinned. A dimple appeared in her left cheek and he was smitten.

"How're yeh, lass?" he greeted.

She giggled, then sucked in a deep breath. Stephen's eyes widened as she launched into a monologue. He caught a few words here and there that were familiar. Whether it was the speed of her speech or the fact she was so young the words were garbled he wasn't sure but he had no idea what she was talking about. It was all he could do to nod and smile as she spoke, a laugh erupting from his chest when she stopped, breathless.

"I'm sorry. She's a little excited." The voice was laced with a warm Southern accent.

"It's alright," he promised, moving his gaze from the girl's face to the woman behind her. His eyes roved up her body, taking in lush curves before landing on her face. She was smiling and he knew the girl had inherited the dimple from her. "Ah've been that excited too."

"We didn't bring anything to sign. I wasn't thinking... I don't want to hold up the line, but she wanted to meet you."

"Ah think ah have somethin'." He glanced to his left, calling Lou's name. She was already opening her large purse, pulling out a manila envelope. Within seconds a stack of glossy photos was placed on the table and he heard her mutter they should have brought more. Straightening, he reached for the marker and looked to the girl. "What's yeh name, lass?"

"Sophie." One tiny hand clutched the edge of the table, and he saw sparkly pink polish on her fingernails as she raised the other, showing three fingers. "I'm three."

"Sophie," he repeated with a grin as he began to write on the photo.

"You're huge," she said. "You eat lots?"

"That ah do, Sophie. Me mam had a hard time feedin' me when ah was a lad."

"Veggies?" The word was said with a pronounced 'b' sound.

"Ah love'em. Yeh don't give yer Mommy trouble about eatin' vegetables do yeh?" he asked, signing his name with a flourish.

Sophie took a deep breath. When she spoke her voice was solemn. "I like cake more."

"Ah'll tell yeh a secret," he said in a low voice, leaning over again. "Ah love cake."

Her eyes widened. "Mommy! Sheamy like cake! Make'im one!"

Stephen laughed heartily as he waved a hand over his signature so it would dry. "Yeh Mommy has more important things to do than bake me a cake, lass."

"Mommy makes cakes," she insisted. "For money."

"She does? Tell me somethin'." He leaned forward to hand over the photo. "Are they good cakes?"

"Best," she promised in a whisper. "Buy one."

"Sophie Elizabeth Fitzgerald!" Her mother shook her head in embarrassment, pressing a hand over her mouth briefly. "Don't be rude."

"She's fine," Stephen assured.

"I got a big mouth." Sophie spoke as though she heard the phrase frequently.

"I love you regardless," her mother promised, stooping to place a kiss on Sophie's cheek. The girl giggled, obviously used to the show of affection. "We've used up too much of his time already. Now what do you say?"

"Thank you!"

"Indoor voice, please?"

"Thank you." It was barely a whisper this time. "Buy cake?"

"Yeh're welcome, lass." Stephen pushed his chair back, rising to shake the girl's hand. When he rounded the table to do so he saw the other girl that had been with them earlier jog up. She gave a polite smile as she slipped her hand into her mother's. "Pleased to meet yeh, Miss Sophie."

"Thank you Sheamy." She moved forward, hugging his thigh.

Touched, for usually the littlest fans were always a bit put off by his size, he plucked her up to give her a proper hug. He glanced to her mother to make sure he wasn't overstepping and was relieved to see her pull out her phone to take a photo. "Eat yeh vegetables, right? Then cake."

"Okay," she sighed. Pursing her lips, she smacked a kiss to his cheek. "Buy one? Please?"

"Sophie," her mother groaned.

"If they're as good as she says, yeh must be run ragged fillin' orders," he chuckled, handing the girl over.

"She exaggerates. Thank you so much. She watches you every week."

"Ah'm flattered." He watched her fumble with her phone, purse, and Sophie. "Yeh need a hand?"

"I'm an old pro. Thank you again."

"Bye, Sheamy!"

Stephen waved, smiling as he returned to his seat. Without realizing it he looked up, searching the large room. His gaze occasionally landed on them, a smile touching his lips when he saw Sophie showing off her signed photo. He suddenly craved cake. Tapping the pen against the table he cleared his throat and turned to Lou.

"What?" she asked. "Need a drink?"

"No. Ah need her card." He indicated the mother and her girls, now speaking with Mr. Wilson.

"The cake lady? Do you have a birthday coming up?"

"Get her card, please?"

A knowing smile pulled at Lou's full lips. "You're kidding."

"Lou," he warned, nearly growling as he waited for the next child to approach the table.

"This is priceless. I'm going to get her number for you." She stood, hands smoothing her black skirt. "Is this in my job description?"

"Don't tell her it's for me."

"Silly me. I thought we were out of high school. Do you want me to slip her a note after the second bell?"

"Lou..."

"You're going to ruin my fun." She pouted, but turned and headed across the gymnasium, heels clicking on the polished floor. Stephen watched her progress, saw that she reached the girls and their mother, then turned his attention back to the child in front of him.

When Lou returned the line was down to the last couple of children. Stephen refrained from holding out his hand like a spoiled brat, focusing instead on the kids. Once they had walked way he capped his marker and turned to Lou. "Well?"

"Hmm?" Lou gathered the photos that hadn't been used. "Oh. She's really nice."

"And?"

"She's lived in Florida all her life. Her mother's parents live in Georgia and she used to spend summers there until she went to college." Lou slipped the photos into the envelope then the envelope into her bag. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Yeh only talked to her for ten minutes, Lou." He ran a hand down his face. The woman had a knack for getting information from people without their realizing it.

"Well I couldn't very well march over and say 'I need one of your cards' without introducing myself. By the way, I lied for you." Shouldering her bag, Lou gave him a scowl. "I deserve a raise."

"Ah'll see what ah can do. Did yeh get her card?"

"Yes. Did I tell you she's very nice?" Lou placed a cream-colored business card in Stephen's hand. "And what are you going to do with that?"

Stephen looked down at the card, reading the simple black text. _Cakes by Christina_. Beneath it was a phone number, website, and email address. Smiling, he tucked it into his pocket and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. "Yeh'll see."

**A/N: Yes, a new fic. All the blame lays entirely at Lou's feet. Thank you so much dear for all your encouragement! :)**

**As always, thank you to Amber and Jojo for their unfailing support and faith in me. I've made many friends in these past eight months but you two are simply the best. And now I'm singing Tina Turner. Love you! :D**


	2. Chapter Two - Picking a Flavor

Chapter Two – Picking a Flavor

Stephen had just stepped out of the showers, towel around his waist, when the door to the locker room flung open. He glanced up, shaking his head as Lou sauntered in among half-dressed men without batting an eye. Some of his coworkers fussed at her but she ignored them. Placing her purse on the bench next to Stephen's bag, she flicked a lock of hair behind her shoulder.

"Aren't you ready yet?"

Stephen indicated the towel. "Unless yeh want me goin' out like this, no."

She rolled her eyes, perching on the bench to wait. "Where's Stu?"

"Shower. Yeh want to join him while ah dress?" He hoped she would, but she merely sighed and looked to her watch. Chuckling, he reached for his clothes. "Are we in a hurry?"

"I just want to get home into my own bed. Nice match with Stu, by the way." She suddenly became interested in the ceiling when he dropped his towel. "I saw some of the kids from this afternoon in the crowd."

"Yeah, ah noticed. Tried to talk to all of'em."

"I didn't see the cake lady. Was she here?"

"If she was, ah didn't notice. It was a big crowd, Lou." He would never admit to looking for her. After little Sophie's excitement over meeting him he'd almost expected to see them. He slipped his hands into his pockets to straighten them and his fingers brushed against the card he'd tucked in one. He almost pulled it out but refrained, knowing Lou would tease. She seemed determined to make his life a living hell on a good day; he knew she wouldn't let up about the 'cake lady' for weeks at least.

"Pity. Are you going to order a cake?" She glanced at him to gauge his state of undress then turned to face him upon seeing he was mostly covered.

"Lou... Aren't yeh supposed to be listing off my schedule for the next week?" His voice was muffled as he pulled on a long-sleeved t-shirt.

"Considering you're off all week there's no need. I'm not going to spend my days off keeping up with you. Stu and I have plans." As she spoke, the man stepped out of the showers.

Stephen knew her attention was now fully on her boyfriend of two years. Relieved, he continued getting ready, looking forward to getting home. There were no commitments for him aside from his time at the gym. He was anxious to get started on his precious leisure time. Stu had agreed to drive him home. Knowing that he had to wait for his friend to get ready, he packed his things. After telling others that he would see them later he headed out, looking for a quiet corner to wait.

He took a seat in Catering and propped one foot up on the chair opposite. The crew rushed around in the organized chaos that was a load-out. Soon the arena would never look as though WWE had been housed there for the day. He toyed with the idea of checking Twitter but refrained; he wasn't in the mood to read mentions of undying love and devotion from people who'd never met him.

"Fuck it," he muttered, leaning to retrieve his laptop. He placed it on the table then reached for the card in his pocket. Within minutes he was staring at the front page of _Cakes by Christina_. Rubbing his chin as he looked over the selection of links, he clicked on the gallery of previous orders. There was no harm in just taking a look, right? He wouldn't be ordering anything.

After several long moments of looking at elaborate wedding cakes, whimsical cupcakes, and intricately designed special orders, his earlier craving for cake was increased tenfold. The list of available flavors and fillings had his resolve wavering. Deciding to take a look at the prices, he knew when he clicked on the link that he would be making an order.

"What are you doing?"

Lou's voice caused him to jump slightly. Stephen looked up from the laptop, expecting to find Stu waiting for him as well. There was no sign of the Englishman, though. He spotted a wet handprint on the sleeve of her long-sleeved white blouse. Not about to ask about it he turned his gaze back to the online order form. "Just killin' time," he answered. "Thought yeh were goin' to wait for Stu?"

"He kicked me out, said I was distracting." Lou pouted as she nudged his foot out of the chair and seated herself. Without glancing up Stephen knew she crossed one leg over the other then smoothed her black pencil skirt. He heard her lean forward, placing her purse on the table. And when he finally chanced a look in her direction she was gazing at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, not liking the way her lips curved into a smile.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah told yeh. Just killin' time." He unconsciously slid his laptop closer to him, not wanting her to see what he was up to.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Thankful he had memorized his credit card information he typed it in the scrolled back up on the page to double-check his order.

"Ooh, you're ordering a cake?" Lou piped up.

Damn, he'd forgotten to put the card away. There was no getting it back now; she was twirling it between her fingers. "Ah was just lookin' at the website," he grunted.

"What flavor did you order?"

"None of yer—Ah didn't order one." Reminded that she was more an annoying sister than a woman that worked for him, he looked up in time to see her standing. The card dropped to the table and she reached for the laptop. "Lou, dammit, what're yeh doin'?"

"I want to see her cakes." Lou's grip was strong and defiance shone in her blue eyes. "I'm thinking of ordering one for Stu's birthday."

"A grand idea, lass, but his birthday was over two months ago," he reminded, wrapping his fingers around her wrist with every intention of pulling her hand from his precious laptop.

"Well, our anniversary is in a few weeks, I could order one for then." She tilted her head, one corner of her mouth lifting into a smirk. "Are you looking at porn, Ste? Is that why you don't want me to see the computer?"

Dumbfounded by the question, he loosened his grip, jaw dropping at her sass. Two seconds later she had the laptop balanced on one palm, eyes on the screen. "Lou—"

"Ooh, red velvet. Good choice, Ste. Shall I finish this up for you? No problem, I don't mind at all." Ignoring his attempt to protest she perched in the chair across from him again. "Under 'special instructions' should I suggest she give you a call?"

"Ah'm goin' to kill yeh one of these days," he muttered, shaking his head.

"I'll be sure and haunt you for the rest of your life. You want it delivered to your home, right?" Lou glanced up with a serene smile. "Going to ask her to stay for coffee?" He growled and she raised a hand in defeat. "Right, right. None of my business. There, it's ordered. I'll screen-cap the receipt and email it to you."

"Why don't yeh work for Stu instead of me?" he asked.

"Because you can't do shit without me. He's self-reliant. Plus, in a way I do work for him. I get his clothes packed, get them cleaned. I pick up after him, slob that he is, and make sure he gets plenty of rest. And I suppose he does pay me, considering we have great sex." Her fingers flew over the keys as she spoke, not batting an eye about speaking on such a private topic. A few clicks of the mouse, then she was sliding the laptop back over to him. "He even gave me the larger closet when we moved in together."

"That's not payin' yeh, that's knowin' he'll sleep on the couch if he didn't agree with yeh." Stephen didn't bother reminding her that he'd gotten along fine for over thirty years before it had been decided he needed an assistant. Doing so would only have her bring up the fact it had taken five men to take her place. It was a tried and true argument, one they'd had on many occasions.

"There's that, too." She laced her fingers and rested her hands on the table. "So?"

"So what?" he sighed, checking the receipt on the screen to make sure she hadn't added anything outlandish to his order. Content that she hadn't he closed the laptop and shoved into his bag.

"Are you going to ask her out?"

"Lou, ah love yeh like a sister. But ah pay yeh to keep me work life organized. When did ah say ah wanted yeh organizing my personal life too?"

"You didn't. I'm freelancing."

"Yeh can freelance yer ass—"

"Ready to go, love?" Stu asked, approaching Lou from behind. The smile on her face turned from sarcastic to sweet as she tilted her head back to greet him.

"Absolutely."

Stephen watched them share a kiss, feeling for the millionth time that he was a voyeur when it came to them. It wasn't their fault that they were a loving couple prone to public displays of affection. Each time they did so in front of him, though, he itched to get away. He would never admit to it but at times he felt more than a little jealous. All it had taken was a few words in Stu's smooth English accent and a day or two of watching her long legs carry her out of a room before they'd been eating out of each others' hands. Within weeks they became the couple that seemed to have been together forever. He'd watched them grow as a couple and knew that before too long Stu would drop to one knee and propose. Much to Lou's consternation he hadn't admitted to seeing the ring that was waiting for the right moment, but he knew she wanted it as badly as Stu did. He wished them nothing but the best, knowing first-hand how difficult it was to maintain a relationship in their line of work. Even when dating someone on the tour things got rough.

He followed them down the corridor to the exit, gaze dropping to the linked hands then lifting to the shared smile. They were in an exceptionally loving mood, which meant longing glances and stolen kisses on the ride home.

And he'd agreed to share a car with them for two hours. God help him.

* * *

Christina leaned over the butcher-block counter, humming along to the Alicia Keys song that filled the room. Her fingers manipulated the fondant lightly dusted with confectioner's sugar, curling little bits into red petals. She knew if she looked up she would see Sophie dancing around the kitchen, favorite whisk in hand. So she was surprised when the stool to her left scraped across the floor and her youngest daughter scrambled to the top.

"Mommy. Done?"

Over the past year Christina had become adept at translating Sophie's seemingly incoherent babbling into actual questions and statements. It was second nature now and sometimes she forgot that aside from the speech therapist few adults could understand her. Smiling at the sight of the hopeful face, she leaned to drop a kiss on Sophie's cheek. "Almost. I'm going to few more just in case, then I'll put them in the fridge to harden before putting the roses together."

Sophie nodded in understanding. "I help?"

"Yes, you can! While Mommy finishes these, can you get the can of little bitty pearls out of the pantry? The white one with pink letters."

"Yes!" Sophie was already sliding down, bare feet slapping against the floor.

It felt like the millionth time in the past week, but Christina sent up a prayer that the speech therapy would show improvement soon. She couldn't help feeling partially to blame; after all, during Sophie's most formative months of learning to talk she had been mired in the pit of depression. Taking a deep breath, she focused on the task at hand, pushing away the ghosts of the past. It was fruitless. They came when they wanted to.

The late-night knock on the door. The distant rumble of thunder as she'd shuffled out of bed ready to curse at whoever interrupted her precious sleep. The stoic faces of the honor guard and chaplain, their uniforms sparkling with drops of rain as they asked to speak with her for a few moments. Expecting the news hadn't made hearing the words any easier, and she had clung to the chaplain as her world had come to a crashing halt.

Unconsciously she slid the thumb of her left hand over her ring finger, sliding her wedding band and engagement ring back and forth. They gave her a sense of comfort, the diamond solitaire that had belonged to Bradley's grandmother especially. The plain gold band he had slid onto her finger on their wedding day had never been removed.

Even now, two years later, they remained. Just as they would til the day she died.

"Got'em, Mommy!"

Jarred from the maelstrom of thoughts, Christina was grateful for the interruption. She blinked rapidly to ward away the tears that always threatened, wiping her fingers on her apron. "You're such a good helper!" she enthused.

"Scar'ett help too?" Sophie questioned hopefully, turning to run toward her older sister.

As usual, Scarlett had her head in a book. When she wasn't visiting the riding academy for one of her lessons, she preferred an imaginary world. Christina kept an eye on them as she slid the petals onto the cookie sheet. She hoped her oldest would lay the book aside and pitch in; she hadn't in a while. Relief swept through her when Scarlett did so, letting Sophie drag her to the counter.

She knew Scarlett continued to struggle with losing her father. Of the two, she had been the only one to remember him as something more than the man in the photos around the house. She was the only one to remember the hugs, the kisses, the cuddles. At six, it wasn't any easier than it had been at four.

The only one who understood why Christina sometimes sat on the couch holding onto an old t-shirt while crying.

"I'll wipe the counter, Mama." Scarlett playfully tousled Sophie's wild blonde curls. Curls she'd inherited from her father. "Is Ricky going to take it when you finish?"

Christina nodded, stepping around Sophie to place the cookie sheet in the fridge. "I have another he's taking off, too." Again she counted her blessings. Her next door neighbor's college-aged son was taking a year off to save money for school. She had trusted her instincts when hiring him as a delivery boy and he hadn't let her down. Ricky Jones was polite, conscientious, and liked being able to take cupcakes to his girlfriend at work.

If she'd kept the business going those six months... No, she told herself with a shake of her head as she placed the round cake on the now-clean counter. She thanked Scarlett and asked for the bag of royal icing. She refused to think of the what ifs. Besides, those months had been filled with packing up, finding a new house, moving off the base, and readjusting to life without her husband.

She piped icing along the base of the cake. The order had been waiting in her inbox one morning. No special instructions. No rush. She had emailed the man – Stephen Farrelly – to ask if he wanted anything written on top. A woman had answered and sounded quite amused as she told her all Mr. Farrelly wanted was the cake. As ordered.

Well, if Mr. Farrelly wanted a round red velvet two-layer cake covered in white fondant with a spray of red roses and edible pearls, who was she to argue?

"This world is a li-ar!" Sophie screeched. Christina looked up from her piping in time to see her youngest throw her head back, one hand thrown in the air.

"Show-off," Scarlett teased, laughing as she pushed the can of edible pearls closer to her mother. "Just like Daddy."

Christina nodded, reaching with one bare foot to push the dropped whisk to Sophie. For once, Scarlett's large blue eyes didn't shine with pain. "Hey, Alicia, you forgot your microphone. Scarlett, honey, can you get the phone and dial Ricky for me?"

"Play song again, Scar'ett!" Sophie demanded, hopping on one foot. "This world is a liar!"

"This Girl Is On Fire, sweet-pea," Christina corrected with a laugh. Though, she reflected as Scarlett moved to restart the song, Sophie's garbled version was probably more realistic.

* * *

The cake sat, still untouched, on Stephen's kitchen counter. It had been there for three hours, since the scrawny kid had shown up with the large white box and cheesy grin.

Of course she wouldn't deliver her cakes herself. Of course she would have someone to do it for her. She had two little ones to deal with at home, she couldn't very well drag them along with her to make deliveries.

It was gorgeous. Stephen was one to maintain that all cakes were only as beautiful as they were delicious, but he regarded the smooth white fondant with a touch of awe. Not so much as a pin-sized dent marred the surface. The silver board beneath it shone under the bright kitchen light, the tiny pearls around the base gleamed. The roses, which had been a last-minute decision, covered half of the top, cascading down the side. When he leaned over he could see the dark green leaves tucked among the rosebuds, adding authenticity.

"Where is it? Let me see!"

He turned at the sound of Lou's voice, barely stepping aside before she brushed by to get at the cake. Looking to the man that entered the kitchen a moment later, he raised an eyebrow. Stu merely shrugged one shoulder.

"Soon as she got your text she insisted on coming over. I'll have you know you're the only man I let her push me away for." Stu moved to the fridge. "Got any Stella?"

"Yeah, a couple.' Stephen ran a hand through his hair as he turned back to the cake. "What the hell yeh doin'?"

Lou froze, knife poised over the cake. Staring at him in astonishment, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Knowing she couldn't call him a complete idiot, for he wasn't, she went for the obvious. "I'm... About to cut a slice of cake?"

"Ah didn't say yeh could cut it."

"It's a fucking cake, Ste. What else would you plan on doing to it?" she scoffed, turning back to her task. As she made the first cut the aroma of rich red velvet invaded her nostrils and she nearly moaned. "Oh, Stu, grab a plate for me, please. And a fork."

"Christ, that's the bloody cake you've been going on about for the past three days?" Stu asked, stepping over to take a look. When he looked to Stephen, his eyebrow was raised almost to his hairline. "Fucking hell, man. That's rather...feminine, don't you think?"

Stephen rolled his eyes. "She didn't have a skull and crossbones as an available design."

"It looks like an engagement cake. Where's the ring?" Stu teased.

"Shut the fuck up," Stephen muttered.

"Oh God." Lou's moan caused both men to turn and stare at her. Having been too impatient to wait for a plate and fork, she'd broken off part of the slice she'd made and stuffed it into her mouth. Eyes closed, head tilted back, she looked as close to ecstasy as she could without being indecent. "It's so good!"

"Better than sex?" Stu challenged, moving forward to snag a piece for himself.

She moaned again, tongue swiping across her lips to savor every crumb. "I'd say on par."

A laugh burst from the depth of Stephen's belly at the look on Stu's face. Grinning when a glare was sent in his direction he moved to get a plate for himself. "Yeh massacred me cake, Lou."

"I don't care. It's fucking delicious. You have to order another."

"Ah do?" Stephen cringed as a flurry of red crumbs fell to his counter. "Yeh can't order one yerself?"

"No, I'm too busy eating this. I swear, she's going to make my wedding cake. Whenever this bastard gets around to asking me to marry him."

Stu's brow furrowed. "First I'm only as good as a fucking cake, now I'm a sorry bastard?"

"I only called you a bastard. You added the sorry on your own. Ugh, even the rose is yummy." Lou stomped one foot against the floor, her high heeled shoe sounding like a gunshot. "Ste, order a chocolate one next. With ganache filling. Oh! What did she say when she delivered it?"

Stephen watched her mangle the cake even more, slapping a meager slice onto his plate. "She didn't say anythin'. She didn't deliver it."

"That sucks. You are going to call and order another, though, right?" Lou persisted, ripping off three roses to toss atop Stephen's slice. When he didn't answer her right away, she glared at him. "Ste... Do it."

"Yeh only want more cake."

"N...Yes. But I could tell you were interested in her. Call her."

"If ah say ah will, can ah have me arm back?"

Lou glanced down to where her hand gripped his wrist. "I suppose. If nothing else, tell her you want her to come to a show."

"You better do it, mate, or you'll never get a moment's rest," Stu suggested, leaning against the counter. His earlier grievance with his girlfriend forgotten now she was pestering his friend.

"For cryin' out loud. Alright."

**A/N: Oh my gawd you guys! I never expected this reaction to a story. I'm really enjoying writing this (despite Lou's hounding me for updates). Thank you all so much: Lou, Blackhat, Jess, SandraSmit19, charmedbyortonbarrett, ThatGirl54, prettybaby69, Jojo, Nikki, Carolina Kel, Amber, Shamaness1171, and boston246. You guys really overwhelmed me with your reviews. Love you!**


	3. Chapter Three - Persistence

Chapter Three – Persistence

"Mama, I can't find my jeans!" Scarlett's hollering from upstairs paused momentarily as Christina counted to five. "Found'em!"

"Mommy! I takin' Sheamy pi'ture!" Sophie announced. "Show horsies!"

Taking a deep breath, Christina glanced at the remaining time on the oven. Five minutes. If the layers were done she would have just enough time to remove them, place them on a rack to cool, then rush the kids into the car so they could make it to the academy for Scarlett's lesson. However, should they layers not be done, they would be late. Again.

One day, she vowed as she took the framed photo from Sophie's hands, she would be on time for something.

"Mama, where's my helmet?" Scarlett called. Her voice was closer this time, indicating she was at the top of the stairs. With another glance at the timer, Christina placed the photo on the table and moved into the foyer to find the six year-old half-dressed and beginning to look panicked.

"I put it on your shelf this morning." Now wasn't the time to announce she had taken it from Sophie. She had been intent on using it as a bowling ball. "Your riding crop is—" Too late. Scarlett was already back in her room. The thump of books hitting the floor sounded as she turned everything upside down to find her gear. "On your bed," she finished with a sigh, turning to go back into the kitchen.

Sophie threw up her hands when the timer began its loud beeping. "I didn't do nothin'!"

"It's the cake, silly goose." Normally she would have corrected grammar but was too frazzled to care at the moment. A bouncing check and having to pay exorbitant fees had ruined her day. Spending an hour on the phone searching for the client to no avail had only ruined it further.

"Mama, is it time to go yet?" Scarlett asked.

Christina glanced up as she slipped her oven mitts onto her hands. "Just let me get these layers out." She opened the oven, the aroma of chocolate wafting over her as she brought out the pans after checking with a toothpick. "Thank God," she whispered, placing the hot pans on the racks waiting on the counter. "Sophie, sweet-pea, you need to get your jacket – Where are your shoes?"

"I'unno." Sophie looked down at her bare feet, wriggling her toes. The glittery pink nail polish sparkled as she did so. "Took'em off so I could see my toes."

"Where are your socks? Never mind, we'll get a fresh pair. Can you go get a pair of shoes while I get my purse?"

"Okie!" Sophie's bare feet slapped against the floor as she rushed off to do as told.

"Stop running! And get a jacket!" Christina called after her, dropping the oven mitts on the counter. She nudged the oven door closed, halfway across the kitchen when the phone on the wall rang. The shrill sound caused her to curse under her breath. "We're going to be late," she apologized to Scarlett, who threw up her hands. Snatching the receiver off the wall she tucked it between her ear and shoulder, motioning for Sophie to hurry up. "Hello?"

"Um... Ah'm lookin' for Christina?" It was a male voice. Deep, vaguely familiar. The accent was what stuck out to her but she was too distracted to pay too much attention to it.

"Right, this is she." The phone began to slide from its place when she stooped to pick up Sophie and place her on the counter. "Don't touch the cakes," she warned, reaching for the shoes her daughter held.

"Sorry?"

"Oh goodness. Not you. I'm sorry. What can I help you with?"

"Ah'm callin' about the cake ah ordered. It came yesterday, and—"

Her stomach churned anxiously. "Was something wrong with it?" she inquired, eyes on Sophie.

"Well—"

"Sophie Elizabeth! I said don't touch that!" she cried.

Sophie's eyes widened as the pan on the rack closest to her slid over the edge, bouncing against the counter before falling face-down to the floor. Pursing her lips, she placed her hands in her lap. Christina knew she was scrambling to come up with a good retort. "You said no touch cake! I no touch cake! I touch rack!"

"Is this a bad time?" the man asked as she stared in awe at Sophie.

"Yes, it is. I mean, no." Dropping the shoe in her right hand she brought her palm to her face in mortification. She took a deep breath. "Would it be alright if I call you back later? I'm about to walk out the door."

"No, no, that's fine. Yeh need me number?"

"It's on the caller ID. I'll call you back in a little over an hour, alright?" She prayed the phone wouldn't randomly delete its call log and made a note to jot down the number when she hung up.

"Ah'll be here. Name's Stephen."

The red velvet with white fondant and roses. Oh how she hoped nothing bad had happened to it between her house and his. "I'll talk to you soon," she promised.

"Tell Miss Sophie to eat her vegetables," he said before disconnecting.

Christina stood, phone pressed to her ear, listening to the disconnect tone for several minutes. It wasn't until Sophie spoke again that she remembered she had things to do and places to go. Blinking, she hung up the phone and rushed to get the socks and shoes on her littlest one's feet, smacking a kiss to the girl's cheek so she would know she wasn't too upset with her over the cake. It could be redone. Wrangling her into a jacket, she pulled her onto her hip and grabbed her purse. "Let's go. We're late."

"Who was on the phone?" Scarlett asked, already snapping her helmet into place as they headed outside.

"A customer." Surely she couldn't tell the girls that Sheamus had called her? Or that he had been a customer? Not that she'd realized herself until right after he'd hung up. The line about vegetables had sent her into shock. It wasn't everyday someone remotely famous – whether locally or otherwise – ordered one of her cakes.

"You look upset. Didn't they like the cake?" Scarlett went on, opening the rear door of the blue Ford.

"D'ey better," Sophie groused as she was placed in her car seat. "Or I get Sheamy to kick they butt!"

_Hard to do when he's the one that didn't like it_, Christina thought. "I'm sure Sheamus is too busy to go around kicking people's butts, sweet-pea. Besides, not everyone is going to like my cakes."

"Stupid," the girl snorted. "Everybody loves Mommy cakes!"

"Maybe I should have named my business that," Christina laughed, slipping a kiss to Sophie's cheek before backing out and shutting the door.

As she drove – just slightly over the speed limit – to the academy, she wondered why knowing her daughter's favorite wrestler ordered a cake was so discombobulating to her.

* * *

When he opened his front door, Stephen scowled at the visitors. "Don't yeh have anythin' better to do than bother me?"

"Is that any way to greet your best friends?" Stu looked offended.

Stephen sighed, pushing the scowl away. "How're ye? How was dinner? What do yeh want?"

"I'm good. Dinner was fine." Lou slipped past. "We're not staying long. I just want a slice of cake."

Stephen smirked, backing up to allow Stu in. "Who said there's any left?"

She whirled around, crimson lips parting in horror. "You didn't. Oh, Ste, how could you?"

"It's a cake, dear, not the last bit of food in the world." Stu ignored his girlfriend's indignant huff and gave Ste an apologetic look. "Sorry, mate. She insisted on dropping in."

"We knew you wouldn't be doing anything anyway," Lou added, heading in the direction of the kitchen. "Unless you talked to Cake Lady and set up a date?"

"Lou." Stephen and Stu spoke in unison, causing her nose to wrinkle when she glanced back.

"Is there cake left or not?" she asked. When Stu raised an eyebrow she huffed. "Please."

"Ah put it in the fridge," Stephen informed, chuckling when she squealed. He nudged Stu, motioning for him to step into the small office beyond the stairs. "If she keeps eating me cake, she'll get fat on yeh."

"She works it all off, don't worry." Stu grinned. He pushed the door to, silent until the clattering of dishes in the kitchen reached them. "Did you get it out?"

"Here yeh go." Stephen leaned across his desk to retrieve the small jeweler's box his friend had entrusted him with months before. "Yeh finally ready?"

"Crazy, isn't it? Yeah, I am. I think she was expecting it tonight. She looked a bit miffed when I didn't pop the question over dinner." Stu pried open the lid once he had the box in his hand.

"Ah can't imagine anyone wantin' to spend the rest of his life with her." Stephen felt entitled to a little good-natured ribbing. But he turned serious as they both looked at the sparkling diamond solitaire ring that rested on a bed of rich blue velvet. "When yeh gonna ask?"

"I'm not sure yet. This week, certainly. I have to give her time to perfect how she announces it to everyone. And a day or two for her to reorder the ring if it's not right." Stu plucked the ring out of the box, scrutinizing the brilliant diamond. "You've gotten your greasy fingerprints all over it," he snorted, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to buff the stone.

"Ah haven't touched it." He moved closer to the door, keeping an ear open for Lou in case she decided to seek them out. No doubt she was too busy scarfing down copious amounts of cake to care about them one way or the other, but he wanted to be sure. "Don't worry about the ring, Stu. Yeh know she's not half as materialistic as she pretends to be. Yeh could give her a ring from Wal-Mart and she'd be over the moon."

Stu's smile was positively sappy. "She would, wouldn't she?" He carefully tucked the ring back into the box, then slipped the box into the pocket of his slacks. "I'm lucky to have found her."

"Aye. Much as she annoys me, she's a good lass. Yeh need to marry her quick and get busy givin' me a bunch of kids to spoil."

As they spoke, they settled into the comfortable leather chairs at the desk. Without being offered, Stu helped himself to a cigar from the small humidor, leaning back and looking at Stephen curiously as the fragrant smoke curled towards the ceiling. "You could be doing the same, you know."

Stephen absently flicked the lighter before glancing up. "Ah don't think Lou wants to marry me."

"I'm serious, Ste. If I can settle down, certainly you can. What's stopping you?"

One dark red eyebrow rose high on his forehead. "It's not like ah have women throwin' themselves at me on a daily basis. And when ah do, they aren't interested in more than a night in me hotel bed."

"From what Lou's said, this cake lady seems the type to want more than that." Stu pulled the ashtray closer to him. "Have you thought about asking her out?"

"She doesn't have time for anythin' like that with me. Ah'm on the road too much. And she has kids and a business to run and—"

"And you have enough excuses to last the world a lifetime. Good God, you're not getting any younger. I'd like some kids to spoil too, you know." Stu pushed himself up, meeting his gaze. "What are you scared of?"

For two seconds, Stephen could hear his own breathing. When the phone rang it startled him, sending the lighter bouncing beneath the desk. Grabbing the receiver he brought it up to his ear and signaled to Stu that they would continue the conversation later. Or, better yet, never at all. His greeting was grumbled, causing Stu to shake his head.

"Sorry, did I catch you at a bad time? It's Christina of Cakes by—"

"No, ah'm sorry. Ah was distracted." He threw up his middle finger when Stu grinned knowingly. "How are yeh?"

"I'm fine – Take it upstairs, Scarlett. Sorry. We just got home and I wanted to find out what was wrong with the cake."

"Wrong? No, nothing's wrong—"

"Was it the roses? I thought I put too many. I tend to get carried away and... Did you say nothing was wrong?"

"Ah did." He glanced up when the door was pushed open and Lou stepped in. Large fondant rose in hand, she crossed the room and settled in Stu's lap, offering him a bite of the treat before polishing it off with relish.

"Then..." Christina made a soft humming noise. "What did you need?"

"It was such a hit ah wanted to order another." He blatantly ignored Stu's look of disbelief. A perfectly arched brow raised on Lou's forehead and she turned to her boyfriend. Their whispers annoyed him but he continued to ignore them, turning his chair so he wouldn't have to watch.

"So soon? Do you have a sweet tooth?"

"Yeh'd be surprised."

"Let me get a form. Hold on just a second." There was a soft clatter. Without realizing, Stephen pressed the phone closer to his ear. He smiled as he heard Sophie's garbled speech, able to pick out from Christina's response that the girl wanted more ketchup for her chicken. There was mention of needing to finish her broccoli first, and he was surprised to hear his name.

"Hop up, love, I'm going to grab a drink."

Stephen glanced over to see his friend standing and rolled his eyes when Lou insisted on getting a kiss before letting him leave. Covering the mouthpiece, he motioned to the cigar. "Don't burn the floor."

"I'm not that much of an idiot," Stu defended before leaving.

"Who are you talking to?" Lou perched on the edge of the desk, leaning as though she could get a glimpse of the caller ID screen on the base. "Are you ordering another cake? I'm going to get fat at this rate, Ste!"

"Ah didn't tell yeh to eat half the damned cake in one sittin'," he reminded, cringing when Christina's voice floated in his ear.

"Alright. I'm sorry. One day I'll get everything organized. Did you know what you want?"

His mind went blank. His initial reason for calling had been to manage some roundabout way of asking her and her daughters to the house show coming up that weekend. As it was possibly his last chance of seeing her for a while, he was still struggling at the proper way to ask her. And he couldn't understand why he was lost when it came to finding the words. "Ah... Chocolate."

"Flat or round?"

He slapped Lou's hand away when she began to tug at the sleeve of his t-shirt. "Round. Three layers. And that... What's it called?"

"Chocolate ganache," Lou whispered in his ear.

"Chocolate ganache," he blurted into the phone, shooting a glare in Lou's direction.

"Tell her to surprise you with the frosting," Lou insisted. "I want to see what she does."

"And if yeh could just surprise me with the frostin'," he parroted.

"You really trust me with that?" she asked.

"Absolutely." He tapped his fingers against the desk, paying no attention to Lou's hopeful grin.

"What about decoration?"

"Ah'm a firm believer in 'less is more' when it comes to cakes." He winced at the feel of Lou's pointed-toe shoe jabbing his thigh. "Ah'm a simple man... Am ah allowed to call yeh Christina?"

"Of course. Do you trust all women you meet to make your dessert choices?"

"Yeh not like most women ah meet."

The silence that met his statement caused a knot of worry to form in his stomach. He'd meant it as a compliment. After years of falling for the wrong type, he'd learned to look for something different. Not that he was falling for her. No, he told himself. He was just interested because she had irresistible daughters. The little one especially. Clearing his throat, he decided to try another direction.

"So ah was thinkin'... We've got a house show this weekend here in town and ah thought you and the girls would like to come."

"Oh."

"Ah just thought the girls would like to come to a show. Yeh don't have to say yes." Lou was shaking her head, hand waving frantically to stop him. Christina, he noticed, remained silent. "Ah'll let yeh go. Ah know yer busy."

"Good lord, you don't let a person get a word in edgewise, do you?" Her laugh was a welcome sound. "I'd be mad at you for bringing guilt into this, but the girls do need a treat."

Defeat had already settled. "Yeh right, ah... What?"

"You're hard to resist, Stephen. The girls would love to come, and so would I. But—"

"Yeh would?" In front of him, Lou motioned for him to indicate what was going on. He ignored her, turning around so she wouldn't see the goofy grin that threatened to show.

"I've been a casual fan of yours for a couple of years now." She sounded sheepish, as though admitting it embarrassed her.

"Really?"

"Scarlett's been a fan of wrestling since she could sit up, though she's more a fan of that Big Show. And you know Sophie loves you to death."

Big Show. Stephen rolled his eyes but was a little surprised. At least it wasn't Cena. "And yehself?"

"Oh, I'm not allowed to pick a favorite. Mommies have to keep peace in the household."

"Ah won't tell on yeh," he promised. It didn't really matter who she said her favorite was. He just wanted to keep her talking until he could drum up enough courage to say what he'd intended to since dialing her number.

"They'd tease me forever if they knew, but I've always liked Wade Barrett."

"That sorry bastard," Stephen muttered. "He's not half as charming off-camera."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were jealous."

"Of him? Never." He chuckled, relieved when she laughed again. "Ah'll see about getting an introduction for yeh. Be warned though, he has a possessive girlfriend. Dreadful woman. Always has her nose in everything."

"And she's standing right there, isn't she?"

"That she is. About to kill herself tryin' to hear what yeh sayin'." Behind him, Lou scoffed. "Christina, ah..." He felt a finger poking him in the back and bit his tongue to refrain from cursing her. Reaching back he caught her hand in his, refusing to let go. "Yeh-"

"That hurts, you bastard!"

"Shut up," he growled.

"I didn't say anything." Christina sounded hurt.

"No, no. Not you. Lou."

"His overworked, stressed, and very underpaid assistant!" Lou called, squirming to break free of Stephen's grasp.

"Can't yeh go bother Stu right now? Yeh not helping," he grumbled. He turned to face her, narrowing his eyes when she opened her mouth to argue. "Don't make me throw yeh out."

"You wouldn't," she snorted. When he squeezed her wrist her eyes widened and she began to back away. "Alright, I'm going!"

He became aware of Christina's soft laugh as Lou hurried out of the room, no doubt to find Stu and tell him everything. He waited several seconds to make sure she was truly gone, running a hand over his face. "Sorry about that."

"She sounds fun."

"It's never a dull moment with her around, ah promise." He wet his lips and tried again to get their conversation back on track. "Ah'll have tickets and passes waitin' at the Will Call."

"You really don't have to go to so much trouble. I—"

"Will yeh please let me do this for yeh? And it's no trouble." She gave a little sigh of consent that made him grin. "Call me when yeh get here, ah'll give yeh all a tour backstage. And if yeh promise not to embarrass me, ah'll introduce you to Barrett."

"Can I get back to you?" There was a strange hesitation in her voice. Was she trying to come up with a way to tell him no? "I have to check my schedule and see if I have baking to do this weekend."

"Oh. Right. If yeh can't, ah'll get yeh to a show next time we're in the area."

"I'll call you in the morning and let you know."

She murmured a quick goodbye then disconnected the call, leaving him standing there clutching the phone. Wondering.

**A/N: Thank you all so very much! - Dana (awww!), susie8807 (I want cake too!), Mizfit81 (five days soon enough? ;), Blackhat (isn't she great?), ThatGirl54 (No, you're perfect!), Nikki (I think she'd revolt if they didn't), Lou (you do, but it's okay. LAV YOU), Amber (And ruin a great cake?), prettybaby69 (yaaay!), katiefabe (did you get my PM? I'm familiar with speech therapy from a parent's standpoint.), Jojo (More Stewie for you! :D), (thank you!) You guys are all so very awesome and I love you!**


	4. Chapter Four - The Rest of My Life

Chapter Four – The Rest of My Life

"Do you think she's called him yet?"

Stu looked up from the book he'd been reading while she showered at the sound of Lou's voice. Marking his place when he saw her hovering in the doorway wearing one of his dress shirts, he tossed the book aside and patted his lap. A smile graced her features and then she was moving forward, bare feet silent on the carpet. Once he had her in his arms he sighed, lips pressing against her forehead. "Stop worrying about the cake lady and Ste. He's a grown man, he can handle his own affairs."

Her brow furrowed. "He doesn't have affairs, Stu. He works, he sleeps, he gets up and does it again the next day. Do you know he hasn't had more than one date with the same woman in over a year?"

"It's possible that he's not ready to settle down. Not every man wants to get shackled to one woman or the rest of his life." She reared back and he realized his gaffe. "But I do. Not that I consider it being shackled or... I love you?"

"Oh Stu. You tried." She smiled again, arms sliding around his neck. "I love you too."

"Now stop fretting over Ste. When he's ready he'll do something."

"But—"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Stu, he—"

"I'll turn you over my knee," he threatened.

"I'll enjoy it," she purred. She shifted in his lap, pushing her body closer to his. "What are we doing tonight?"

"I thought we'd stay in." He ran a hand down her back, seeking the hem of the shirt. Slipping his fingers beneath, he smiled against her cheek upon feeling nothing but bare skin. The plans he had made for the rest of the evening flew from his mind. Their time alone was precious to him. It seemed they had only just arrived home for their one week off from work. In two days they would be back on the road.

"Good," she murmured, pushing her lips to his. It was a familiar kiss, the one she used when she wanted more than being held. Stu responded in kind, hand cupping her backside to hold her still while his other hand worked to unbutton the shirt. Lou gave a pleased sigh as her hands gripped his biceps, obviously content to let him do all the work.

Standing, he held her to him with one hand, reaching behind her to push the clutter on his desk out of the way. The soft curves of her body molded to him, long legs draping around his waist. He smiled at the laziness of her movements; she knew he wouldn't let her fall. The erotic rubbing of her core against the bulge in his jeans brought a groan from him. Palming her backside, he squeezed tightly before gently smacking her flesh.

"Stu!" Her hands left him as he set her on the edge of the desk. Leaning back she braced her hands on the polished wood, giving her head a toss to send her damp blonde curls out of her face. "You're wearing too many clothes."

"You're impatient," he returned with a smirk. He nudged her thighs, glancing down to watch her legs part for him. She moved slowly, bringing one foot up to rest on the desk. Appreciative of the view, he glided one hand from her ankle to her thigh, fingers barely sweeping along her slit before reaching up to cup her hip. Leaning forward to brush his lips over her neck, he whispered her name. "How did I get lucky enough to find you?"

"It's called I made sure I was around you until you noticed me." She cupped his face, pulling him up for a kiss. "Ugh, you were so oblivious. I was close to showing up at your hotel room wearing only a towel to get your attention."

"I noticed you the first time I saw you," he whispered. "And I knew you were completely out of my league." He reveled in the taste of her lips before leaning back so she could see his smile. "You still are, you know."

"Well, yes, I am. But you have something going for you."

"What's that?" he asked, seduction forgotten.

"I happen to be in love with you." Her eyes softened. The fire of lust was still there, but was overtaken now by adoration.

It always surprised him. He knew she loved him. Her tearful admission when he'd been lying on the medic's table having an injured knee looked at had convinced him of that. He'd known on their first date that he would spend the rest of his life with her. Recalling the surprise when she'd given a sweet kiss goodnight before slipping into her room, he wanted to laugh. At the time he'd been expecting more but now he was glad she'd made him wait. The six months had been sexual torture but their first time sharing a bed had been everything he'd wanted and more. Each time since had only increased his desire to have her by his side.

"Stuart," she murmured, bringing his focus back to her. Her fingers danced over his cheek. "Where did you go?"

"Thinking how far we've come since I asked you out that first time." He glanced to the bottom drawer of the desk. "I love you, Lou. So much."

"I know." It wasn't sarcasm or pride. He made sure she knew every day that he loved her. "I love you, too."

"This isn't the perfect moment I had planned." He ran a hand through his hair. Seeing her perplexed expression, he sighed and felt his heartbeat accelerate. "I was going to take you out to dinner and do something romantic like one of those silly movies you love so much, but I—" Taking a deep breath, he leaned to open the drawer, reaching beneath the random items for the false bottom. As soon as his fingers wrapped around the small black box he straightened, meeting her eyes.

"Stu..." she trailed, eyes widening. Her foot slipped from the edge of the desk, lips parting in surprise.

"Remember our talk when you moved in?" he asked, keeping a tight grip on the box. She nodded, one hand rising to cover her mouth. He saw tears start to well in her eyes. "I bought this the next day. When you said that you didn't care whether we got married or not, that you just wanted to be with me, I knew I was going to put a ring on your finger one day."

He would have sworn he heard a squeal when he lowered himself on one knee. When he looked up at her though, she still had a hand over her mouth. She blinked, free hand reaching to clasp the one resting on her knee.

"I'm not one for long drawn-out speeches. I can only hope you know how much I love you." He opened the box, glancing at the diamond briefly before turning it to present to her. "Louise Marie Gordon, will you marry me?"

A tear slipped onto her cheek and she began to nod. The hand covering her mouth fell, waving erratically, the one clasping his squeezed tightly. "Yes," she whispered. Then, clearing her throat, she reached to wipe away her tears. When she spoke again her voice was stronger, but the tears still fell. "Yes, Stu. God, yes."

He was barely on his feet again when she grabbed him, yanking him to her level for a kiss. Caught off guard, he dropped the box to the desk then gathered her in his arms. "I'll make you happy," he promised between kisses, savoring the feel of her arms around him.

"Never call me Louise again," she whispered, "and you will."

"I have to once more. At our wedding." He chuckled when she groaned, pulling away to find the ring. Her fingers trembled as he carefully slid the platinum band in place. He adjusted it until the emerald-cut diamond rested perfectly on her finger, then lifted her hand to press a kiss to her soft skin. Gazing down at her, he took in her appearance. Her hair curled as it dried, tousled and hanging over her shoulders. Her cheeks were damp with tears, and her eyes gleamed with happiness. The shirt she wore was half unbuttoned and rumpled. It was rare that she was ever remotely unkempt and to him she had never looked more beautiful. "If you don't like the ring—"

"It's gorgeous."

"I know it's not very big. When I—"

"It's perfect. I don't need some gaudy rock weighing down my hand." She held out her hand, regarding the ring or several seconds as her smile widened. "I love it."

"And I love you."

Her arms went around him again. This time he was better prepared, catching himself on the desk as she dragged him over her. "Show me," she whispered, tucking her legs around his waist.

* * *

"I just want to pop in and see—"

Her sentence halted at the same time she did. Not fully paying attention, Stu walked into her. He caught her by the waist before she could topple over, eyes scanning the near-empty lobby. But for a woman at the ticket window, two girls at her side, and the maintenance man cleaning one of the glass doors he saw nothing that should have made Lou stop. "What's gotten into you?"

"She's here! And is that—Fuck me, she brought cake!"

"Who is... Cake lady?" Stu guessed, but she was already surging forward. The Louboutins that she claimed were her favorite didn't impede her progress; if anything she seemed to move faster because of them. Following at a casual stroll, he watched the woman at the window turn to stare at Lou in confusion. Then her eyes landed on him and he greeted her with a nod and a smile before glancing down at the two girls.

"Ste made sure to leave a packet for you, did you get it?" Lou asked.

"Yes. It's too much, though. We can't possibly—"

"He insists on it. Oh, Stu, this is Christina Fitzgerald. Christina, this is my fiancé, Stu Bennett. You probably know him better as—"

"Way Barruh!" The smallest girl blurted, giggling when Stu looked down at her again. "Mommy loves you! Your ears are funny lookin'."

"I beg your pardon—"

"Sophie, please," Christina sighed. "Best behavior remember?"

"D'orry." Her expression spoke volumes. He doubted she was even remotely apologetic.

"This is Sophie. And this is Scarlett." Christina indicated each girl. "Is there somewhere I can put this?"

"I'll take that." Lou's hands slipped the white box from Christina before she got the words out properly. "Stu, can you get them backstage? I'm going to put this in Ste's locker room."

"Um... Sure," he answered, lifting one eyebrow when she spun around to go the direction they had just come from. About to call out that she could have taken Stephen's visitors backstage just as well as he could, he instead closed his mouth and turned back to Christina and the girls. "I hope you realize that cake will never be seen again."

"Is she worried that it will put him off his training?" Christina asked, looking up from placing the lanyard around Sophie's neck.

"Hardly," he snorted. Stephen would be lucky if half was left by the time Lou finished with it. He longed to ask why she had kept his friend waiting for a call but refrained, motioning for them to precede him in the opposite direction Lou had taken. Grateful for the little one's incessant chatter, though he understood none of it, he took stock of the woman he knew best as the Cake Lady. Stephen had been vague in his description, whereas Lou had been too enamored with cake to say much more than a general idea of her looks.

She was short, not much over five feet he guessed. When she moved in front of him to help Sophie through the door he noted that her jeans did little to conceal the plush curves of her hips. Blonde hair was brushed back in a ponytail. He wasn't an expert, but he doubted she wore any makeup. Tapping her shoulder to guide her down the correct hallway, he smirked as they neared the catering area. He knew Stephen was there and couldn't wait to see the man's face.

"Yes!" Sophie shouted, causing several of Stu's coworkers to look at her in confusion. He looked around, shaking his head when he saw Daniel Bryan getting a bottle of water.

The man toyed with his beard, a smile pulling at his lips before he frowned. Stu heard Christina sigh with relief when one-half of the tag team champions approached Sophie. "No!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" she squealed, bouncing with excitement.

"No! No! No!" Daniel retorted.

Stu chuckled as they continued, glancing back when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "I think these belong to you mate," he murmured to Stephen, who laughed.

"Not hardly. But ah'll take'em off yer hands."

He watched his friend approach Christina, who greeted him with a warm smile. There was a bit of confusion as Sophie continued to shout at Daniel, but Stu hid a smile when he saw Stephen give Christina a quick hug before turning to greet Scarlett. He pulled out his phone, intent on messaging Lou to tell her to hurry up.

Sophie's eyes widened when a shadow fell over Daniel. The glee she had experienced during their word war fled when she found the source. The man, dressed all in black, towered over her and she took a step back. He leaned down and she shrieked. One foot lifted, slamming into the man's shin before she scrambled to hide behind Stephen's leg. "Sheamy! Kane get me!"

Stephen laughed, shifting to lift her into his arms. "He's not goin' to get yeh," he promised, instinctively wrapping his arms around her. "Glen, yeh scarin' her."

"Sorry." Glen leaned forward so he was at Sophie's level. "I'm not Kane until I get into the ring, sweetheart. Right now I'm Glen."

"No you ain't. You wearing Kane clothes. You Kane. Sheamy wear Sheamy clothes so he Sheamy. I don't like your fire, why you use fire? And when you gonna bake a cake like in the commercial? Can't you bake? Mommy bakes cakes! She bake one for you, okay? But no fire on it."

Beside him, Christina clapped her hand to her face as Stephen laughed again. "This, Glen, is Sophie. She's a talker." He shifted her onto his hip and introduced Christina and Scarlett as well. They were a little less exuberant in their greeting. He guided them through the room, food forgotten, as he introduced them to the other coworkers of his that were grabbing a bite to eat.

Beyond pleased that she had accepted his invitation he was at a loss as to what to do. Having no clue as to where his PA had disappeared to, he finally led them out into the arena so they could see the ring. Scarlett perked up at the sight, tentatively touching the apron.

"If yeh want, yeh can climb on in," he suggested, holding out a hand to help her up the steps.

"Me too?" Sophie asked.

"Of course." He helped her through the ropes, leaning against the apron to watch them circle the ring.

"I should have brought a camera," Christina murmured as she rummaged through her purse. "And I left my phone in the car. Damn."

"Yeh can use mine," he said, already using the hem of his t-shirt to wipe off the screen. Bringing up the camera, he offered it to her, smiling at her look of uncertainty. "Ah'll email'em to yeh."

"Thank you."

He glanced down as she took the phone from his hand, noticing the rings on her hand. There was no second-guessing the significance of them and they seemed to shine brilliantly as she began taking photos of the girls, who were now running around in the ring. Needing to know for sure, he cleared his throat. "Ah meant to ask this last week. At the center..."

"Yes?" she urged when he sighed.

"What brought yeh there?"

She glanced down, but not before he caught the pain in her eyes. "My husband was in the same unit as Mr. Wilson. They went to Afghanistan together." The breath she sucked in broke his heart. "He made it home, Bradley didn't."

"Ah'm sorry. It's none of my—"

"It still hurts, but I don't mind talking about it." Her gaze moved to her daughters. Stephen felt like a cad when he saw her quickly brush a tear from her eye. "I never want them to think I'm ashamed of what their father did."

"How long has it been?"

"It will be two years in February."

His heart ached for her but all he could do was stand there. He struggled to find proper words. When none came, he placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze as the moments passed. "Ah'm glad yeh came today."

"So am I," she whispered.

**A/N: YOU GUYS! I love you!**

**susie8807, Lou, charmedbyortonbarrett, Nikki, Mizfit81, ThatGirl54, , Blackhat, Amber, LilOrchidJenny, Jojo, Carolina Kel, katiefabe, VolcomStoneBabe, anon – OMG you all make me grin like a complete idiot! Thank you all so much! :)**


	5. Chapter Five - Attached

Chapter Five – Attached

Christina kept a watchful eye on her daughters as they ran around the ring. "Girls, please be careful," she chastised when Sophie began to jump up and down. She could tell that the mat had little if any padding and feared someone would be injured. Chewing on her bottom lip, she breathed a little easier when Stephen climbed into the ring. Instead of throwing themselves against the ropes, they began to attack him in an attempt to knock him over.

She was still overwhelmed at his insistence she and the girls come to the show. Her days since their last talk had been spent in the kitchen, filling the orders that needed to be delivered before she could think of taking a day off. Scarlett had sensed that she was rushing but had been unable to figure out the reason. Finally she had approached her just after bedtime, tiptoeing into her room to question her the night before. When she'd learned they would be coming to the show Scarlett had been elated. Somehow, Christina had managed to keep Sophie in the dark until they'd walked up to the ticket window.

The heavy thud of a body landing in the ring brought her thoughts back to the present and she laughed at the sight of Stephen being felled by two little girls. Snapping a photo when Sophie took the opportunity to begin tickling him, she couldn't help but wonder if he would delete some of the photos she took before sending them to her.

"Ste and kids. Ugh, he's always so cute with kids."

The female voice surprised her and she looked back to see the woman who had accosted her at the ticket office stepping around a stack of chairs. Smiling in greeting she tried to recall the woman's name. But she had been introduced to so many since, even though it had been less than an hour before. She used the hem of her t-shirt to clear the screen of Stephen's phone. Knowing the woman was his assistant, she tentatively spoke. "Have you known him long?"

"I've known him since he joined the company." The blonde smiled warmly as she stood next to Christina. "I was an assistant in Creative and when I heard they wanted someone to keep up with him I applied."

Christina's eyes landed on the sparkling diamond resting on the woman's finger. Finally remembering her name, she relaxed a bit. "Is being an assistant to a wrestler more stressful?"

"Not really. He's not quite as needy as those jerks. Plus he and I get along so wonderfully." Lou motioned to the chairs set up ringside. Once they were seated, she crossed her legs. "How old are your girls?"

"Scarlett's six, Sophie just turned three in August." Christina kept an eye on her daughters, sucking in a breath when Stephen climbed to his feet, Sophie dangling from his neck. He quickly slipped an arm around her so she wouldn't fall and she let out her breath as her youngest girl's laughter echoed in the near-empty arena.

"They're so cute." Lou shifted so she faced Christina. "I'm sure they have your husband wrapped around their little fingers."

Christina's smile was faint. "He's dead."

Lou's expression turned to one of horror. "Oh. I've put my foot in my mouth again. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." It really was. She couldn't expect people to know that her husband was dead. It wasn't as though she walked around announcing so on a shirt.

"Military?" Lou guessed softly.

"Marine." Bradley's credentials came to mind. They had been drilled into her brain over the course of their marriage. "He was a Gunnery Sergeant."

"My dad is retired Air Force. My mom always teases that he joined up because the Marines wouldn't have him."

"Was he stationed at MacDill?" Christina asked. This was easy. She could handle this. Talking about the military was something that came natural to her after being married to a Marine. She had met many people from different branches over the years and knew that even though one might talk smack about another they were united. Just as she knew that those who had never been connected to the military would never understand what it was like.

"He was. He met my mother in England when he was stationed there ages ago." Lou smiled. "I've romanticized it over the years but it's a cute story. She worked at a bookstore near the base and after he saw her the first time he kept going back to buy more books. One day he went in with some friends and his buddy told him to just ask her out before he went broke. They had only dated three months when he heard they were sending him back to the States."

"And?" Christina pressed, hoping the rest of the story would be as romantic as she hoped.

"They eloped. Well, not really. They got married on base by his commander. It took a little while for the paperwork and everything to clear but he refused to come home without her." Lou's grin was wide and Christina knew the woman had grown up in a loving home. "They've been sickeningly happy and disgustingly in love ever since."

"That's so sweet." She almost cooed the words, glancing to the ring. Surprised to find Stephen leaning against the top rope, watching them, she ducked her head. "I love stories like that."

"How long... Please feel free to tell me to shut up if I ask too many questions. It's so rare that I get to talk to a woman that isn't on the roster that I tend to forget how to carry on a conversation with another female." Lou glanced behind Christina, a smile playing at her lips. "How long were you and your husband together before he..."

"You can say the word," Christina assured. "We were together for ten years, married for six."

"College?" Lou asked, distracted again by something or someone behind Christina.

"Yes. We ended up in a night class together. He spilled his drink on my notes then took the time to copy his down for me." Christina smiled at the memory, glancing back just in time to see Wade – no, no, he was Stu – approaching. Growing uncomfortable with his closeness, she looked down at Stephen's phone.

"Ladies," he greeted. He bent over to kiss Lou's cheek and placed a bag in her lap. "Are you behaving?"

"I haven't begged her to bake a cake just for me," Lou groaned. "So, yes, I am."

"Don't do it, or you'll forever be fixing cakes for her," he warned Christina. Indicating the bag, he straightened. "I got some things for the girls. Thought they'd like a shirt or two."

"Oh, you didn't have to." She had managed to squeeze a little out of the budget to buy shirts for the girls later in the day. "But thank you."

"No problem at all. I'm headed to get a workout, love."

"Have fun."

Without realizing it, Christina stared as he walked away, rather enjoying his progress as he approached the ring. Next to her, Lou chuckled.

"Fucking gorgeous isn't he?"

"What? Yes. I mean no." Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and she ducked her head again. "I mean... I wasn't trying to drool over him. Sorry."

"I'd be a little worried if you didn't. I'm used to the attention he gets from fans, don't worry. Can't say I like it all that much but I don't mind you. You don't strike me as the type to ask him for sex."

"Um, no, I'm definitely not."

"How did you become a fan?" Lou grinned when Christina looked at her. "Ste told me."

"Oh. Well." She cleared her throat, forcing herself not to look at the men in the ring. She did so anyway, just in time to see Scarlett sliding out beneath the bottom rope as though she'd been doing it for years. Sophie rushed after her and Christina felt a tug in her chest when Stephen grabbed her and helped her out. About to call to the girls so they would be out of the way, she remained silent as Stephen directed them to sit on the floor. They did so, Scarlett's grin widening at their proximity. Sophie popped a thumb into her mouth, leaning against her older sister. Christina fumbled with the phone in her hand and rushed to take a picture of the moment.

"Ste's great with kids," Lou mused. "Even when he was heel the little kids loved him."

"I can see why. He's approachable." She looked at the photo she'd taken. "I saw him with the kids last weekend at the center opening. He's..."

"Single," Lou muttered. Christina felt her cheeks flush again but pretended not to hear. "Okay, now tell me all about how you got into baking cakes for a living."

* * *

She was on the edge of her seat. To her left Scarlett stood on her tiptoes, practically leaning over the barrier as she joined in the chants and catcalls. To her right, Sophie stood in her seat, bouncing up and down as she shouted for her beloved Sheamus to get to his feet. Christina winced in preparation as Wade picked up the chair lying on the mat.

The match – the final one of the house show – had been brutal. She had paid little attention to what the announcer said before the music hit, but Scarlett had informed her it was a no disqualification match. She fretted over the girls' reactions, worrying that it would be too much for them. But they were bloodthirsty. Each had cheered when Sheamus had brought the chair down on Wade's back.

At first she had feared it would be hard for them to differentiate between the ring persona and the man they had met. Especially Sophie. Again they had surprised her, their boos among the loudest when Wade Barrett's entrance music had started. When he'd entered the ring and glanced over to them Sophie had gone so far as to stick out her tongue. She'd caught a glimmer of a smirk before he'd slipped back into character.

She leaped to her feet when the chair came down on the fallen man. Dear God it wasn't supposed to be that loud, was it? And surely he was supposed to move a little bit after? Not understanding why she longed to rush forward and stop the assault, she held onto Sophie, biting down hard on her bottom lip as the current World Heavyweight Champion attempted to get to his feet. Her free hand clapped over her mouth at the sight of blood trickling from the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, I hate Way Barruh!" Sophie screeched. "Mommy! Sheamy bleed! Him hurt!"

Christina took a deep breath, grateful for the distraction when Wade performed his finisher. Turning her attention to Sophie she watched out the corner of her eye as Sheamus toppled over. "I'm sure he's okay, sweet-pea," she promised, hugging her daughter close. "Remember? They know what they're going to do so no one really gets hurt."

"But Sheamy bleed," Sophie insisted, scowling as the bell rang and Wade's music started playing. Among those nearest them her boos were the loudest. Christina made sure to lift her into her arms, certain the girl would throw something at Wade should he get near enough.

The Englishman posed on the ropes, feeding off the hate of the crowd, but Christina's eyes were on the man still lying on the mat. She finally remembered to breathe, air rushing from her lungs as Sheamus used the ropes to pull himself up. Scarlett squealed, obviously knowing what was coming. Over the sound of the music she heard the rhythmic clapping of the audience until he was on his feet.

She joined in the cheers when Sheamus' boot met Wade's face as soon as Wade jumped down from the turnbuckle. The song playing switched abruptly to his as he threw his arms out in victory. Barely able to hear him roar above the cheering of her daughters, she continued to fret over the blood trickling down his nose.

He slid out of the ring on the other side, holding his belt high as he embraced lucky audience members. Taking the opportunity to regulate her breathing, Christina felt a vibration in the pocket of her jeans.

Stephen's phone. She'd tried to hand it over in the confusion before coming out to find their seats but he'd told her to hold onto it for the time being. She reached for it, eyes on him as he slowly made his way around ringside, fully intending on tapping ignore when it continued to vibrate. Lou's name was on the screen, though, and she answered the call, checking to make sure Sophie and Scarlett weren't going to slip away. "Hello?"

"Oh good. I worried the phone was on silent and you would miss the call. The show's over, right?" Lou asked.

Christina shielded her other ear to hear better. "Yes." Glancing over, she watched Stu move by the ramp to slip backstage. He paused a few times and she smiled, reminded that he was a good guy after all. "I'm going to give Stephen his phone when he gets over here, then—"

"Then come backstage. You left your shirts."

She groaned, thinking of the shirts Stu had so nicely given her. She had slipped it on over her own, only to have one of Stephen's shirts shoved at her by Lou. The woman had insisted she wear it, grinning as she'd told her that Stephen would like for her to do so. She had doubted he would notice one way or the other, but when she'd exchanged the Barrett Barrage shirt for Broguekick Hooligans she'd caught him watching her.

"And I thought you and the girls might want a quick snack before heading home. There's tons of food left so I fixed plates." Lou's tone was bordering on pleading.

"Okay." Her gaze moved to Stephen again, noting the sheen of sweat that coated his pale skin. His usually spiked hair was unkempt, and as he grew closer she saw his cheeks were flushed. "I'll have to fight the crowd so it may be a little bit."

"Just shove the lunatics aside. Have Sophie shout out that she's going to pee or something. Come the way Stu did. I'll spot you."

She opened her mouth to reply only to close it as the connection ended. Lou was not used to being told no, she realized, pushing the phone into her pocket. Leaning forward to retrieve her drink and the empty box of popcorn the girls had shared, she braced a hand on the barrier. They would go backstage, have a bite to eat since Lou insisted, get the shirts then leave. It was late; way past Sophie's bedtime. She doubted the girl would sleep at all considering how excited she was.

Warm skin brushed over her hand and she jerked upright. Her heart did a strange tumble in her chest when she found Stephen staring at her. The blood stood out starkly against his skin and the worrying began again.

"Yeh comin' back?" he asked, leaning close to embrace Sophie, who immediately began to fuss about his injury.

"For a few minutes," she answered, swallowing hard when his hand remained over hers. Move, she told herself, lips pursing when her hand stayed on the barrier. Under his.

"Ah'll see yeh in a few minutes then," he promised, pressing a kiss to Sophie's cheek. He embraced Scarlett as well, hand sliding away from Christina's as he moved away.

"Let's go," Sophie blurted, hopping down from her chair.

Sophie on her hip, Scarlett's hand firmly in hers, she pushed through the crowd that had gathered ringside. An older man herding two teenaged boys saw her struggle to get through and cleared a bit of space for them to squeeze by. She had no idea where to go. It was impossible to get to the ramp without climbing over the barrier. Finally she spotted a bored looking member of security leaning against the barrier and approached. Pushing Scarlett in front of her she released her hand long enough to fish out the lanyard tucked beneath her shirt. "Excuse me," she began, tapping his arm to get his attention.

"We goin' to see Sheamy," Sophie announced when the man scrutinized the pass hanging from the lanyard. "Him bleedin'! Stupid Way Barruh hurt him and—" she cut off when the guard moved to pull the corner of the barrier apart so they could get through. "Thank you sir!"

"Thank you," Christina echoed, aware of curious gazes as she followed the walkway alongside the ramp. Beyond the stage hung a black curtain, and she tiptoed over wires and cables. Heart hammering in her chest, she hesitated before pushing the curtain aside to step through.

"You made it! I was about to send someone looking for you." Lou glided forward, not a hair out of place despite the hectic scene around them. "Ste's with the medic, so—"

"We go see him?" Sophie requested, reaching to grab Lou's arm when she turned to lead them through. "P'ease, Miss Lou?"

"Well, I... He's just having his nose looked to." Lou motioned over her shoulder. "You don't want to see all that. Why don't we—"

"P'etty p'ease, Miss Lou?" Sophie's eyes widened, lips forming a small pout. "Him bleedin'. Me make sure he okay. P'ease?"

"Well... Alright. Sure." Lou smiled at Christina. "How do you ever manage to say no to her?"

"I had practice with Scarlett." Christina felt her oldest squeeze her hand and glanced down with a smile.

"Let's go, Miss Sophie. I'll lead you to Sheamy okay?" Lou seemed relieved when the girl released her arm and turned to lean them down the crowded hallway. She maneuvered between crates and past crew members with ease, waiting for Christina and the girls to catch up. When she reached a closed door she knocked three times before pushing it open. "Ste, you've got company."

Christina peeked in, tightening her grip on Sophie. "See?" she murmured. "He's fine. Let's let him get checked out and we'll see him before we—"

"Sheamy!"

"How're yeh lass?" Stephen asked, looking to the door. One hand held a wad of gauze to his nose, but she saw his smile. "Yeh can c'mon in, ah'm decent."

She regarded the mass of chiseled muscle that made up his body, deciding to push away the torrid thoughts before they could settle in her mind. Approaching the table he sat on she hesitated. She didn't want to get too close and keep the medic from doing his job. He patted the table next to him and she let Sophie down, grimacing when he pulled the gauze away. "Is it going to need stitches?"

"No, it always happens. It's 'cause me nose is so big." He chuckled, accepting fresh gauze from the medic. "Ah was supposed to keep me head turned and moved at the last second so the edge of the chair caught me. Ah'll survive."

"I hold it," Sophie offered, grabbing her mother's arm so she could get to her feet. She wobbled precariously and Christina reached to catch her.

Stephen already had hold of her, though, clicking his tongue to chastise her. "Watch yehself, Miss Sophie," he warned, his tone gentle. He slid her over on the table so she wasn't in danger of falling and chuckled when she took the gauze to hold over his nose.

"You get lots of boo-boos while wrestlin'. Why you get so many boo-boos? Mommy always fix my boo-boos when I gets hurt. And I don't like Way. He mean. He hit you when you was down! And I was so mad! Then you got up and kicked him and that made me happy." As she rambled on, Sophie dabbed at Stephen's nose, unfazed at the sight of blood. "You need the burnin' stuff, Sheamy? I don't like it. Makes my boo-boo feel like fire and then Mommy blows it and lets me pick a bandage. We got lots! Princess and fairies and Lightnin' McQueen and Pooh Bear and—" She paused to take a breath. "I get lots of boo-boos too."

"Sophie, baby, you're going to give him a headache with all your talking," Christina sighed. Her fingers itched to take the gauze from her daughter and clear the wound. Not liking the nurturing instinct that had kicked into high gear as soon as she walked into the room, she settled for keeping a hand on Sophie's back as she played nurse.

"Not too broken up are you mate?" Stu's voice boomed from the doorway. Christina looked back in time to see him enter, a smile pulling at her lips when she saw the way his arm slid around Lou's waist. Already dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he smirked. "Look at that, love. Beat him so soundly he needs four nurses."

"Leave him 'lone." Sophie squirmed around so she could face him. Her lips curled into a pout as her eyes narrowed. "You hurt'ed my Sheamy." She held up the bloody gauze. "See? Him bleedin'!"

"Watch out Stu, I think she's out for your blood," Lou warned, fighting a smile.

"He a bully," Sophie announced to the room at large, turning her attention back to Stephen. "Sheamy a star."

"Yeh tell him, lass." Stephen chuckled. He reached up to take the gauze from her. "Thank yeh, Sophie. Ah feel better already."

Sophie beamed and kept a watchful eye on the medic as he applied a small bandage to the cut. Christina looked on with a mixture of awe and amusement, wondering if the man had any idea how much even the smallest bit of attention meant to the girl. She slipped a hand into her pocket, fishing out his phone, and managed to take a photo just when Sophie leaned in to kiss the tip of his nose.

_Please don't get too attached_, she thought, already fearing that the girl would expect this sort of treatment on a regular basis. He was a busy man; she knew he would have far too much going on in his life to make time for a child that wasn't even remotely related to him. Seeing her daughter so happy elated her, yet she also felt her heart break. After tonight was over, she may never see him again.

**A/N – Thank you to: Blackhat, katiefabe, ThatGirl54, Nikki, Jojo, Lou, Amber, Agnesita1385, LilOrchidJenny, VolcomStoneBabe, Dana, prettybaby69, Mizfit81, and charmedbyortonbarrett. You're all pretty amazing and I love each and every one of you! So glad you're enjoying the story :)**

**Also, the fabulous Lou created a banner for this story and you can find the link in my profile. I remain astounded that she did so for little old me and have looked at it a million times already. Thank you so much, love!**


	6. Chapter Six - Chivalry

Chapter Six – Chivalry

Scarlett was a relatively quiet child. But with Sophie as a sister even the most talkative would be quiet. She was starting to come out of her shell, talking to Nattie about hair. Sophie was sitting in Christina's lap, chattering endlessly with Bryan, who had let her hold his tag team champion belt. Christina had a grip on her while immersed in conversation with Stu. About what, Stephen had no idea, but both seemed at ease.

Stephen looked on as he packed his things, unable to keep from smiling as he thought how well they fit in with his friends.

"Stu and I are going to head home and grab our luggage. We'll swing by your place and pick you up in the rental in about an hour." Lou eyed the cake box she had placed on the table. "Want me to take that home and stick it in the freezer?"

Stephen pulled his gaze from Christina's warm smile to look at his assistant. "What? Oh, yeah, sure. Ah guess."

"I think someone has a crush," she teased in a sing-song voice. Wanting to hurry him along she grabbed his toiletry bag and shoved it into the top of his bag. "Are you going to give her your jacket at the dance tonight, Ste? Best do it quick before the cute guy in Chemistry steals her away."

"Watch it," he growled, pointing a finger at her.

"It's so cute, though. Are you going to ask her out? You know, on a date?" Lou closed the bag and grinned. "You could ask her to our engagement party. Unless you want to be paired up with my cousin—"

"Ah'm not goin' to spend yer engagement party with that octopus. Ah learned me lesson at yer birthday party." Stephen shook his head, remembering how Wanda had managed to keep her hands on him no matter what. His politeness had almost gotten him to trouble when he'd offered to drive her home after she'd had too many drinks. He'd managed to get away despite a hand under his shirt and sloppy lips on his neck. "And ah'm still mad at yeh for that."

"Like I knew she was going to hump your leg as soon as she saw you," Lou scoffed. "So you'll ask Christina? I really like her, Ste."

"So because yeh like her ah have to start datin' her?" he asked.

"Yes. But you like her too so it shouldn't be such a chore. She's going to be there anyway, she may as well be your date."

Stephen set his bag down and quirked an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I've already asked her if she'll do a cake for us." Lou's eyes shone with excitement. "I'm going to see her next week to get samples. And I've already decided she's going to do our wedding cake. Which means more samples. Which means—"

"Yer arse is goin' to split out of yer clothes," he finished with a smirk.

"Ugh, Ste, you're such a bully," she whined, slapping his arm. "Ask her."

"Freelancin' again?" he asked, picking up his bag once more. He put a finger to her lips before she could answer. "Keep out of it, Lou."

"But—"

"Love, you ready to head out? I still have some packing to do."

Stephen looked over to Christina, who was rising. He watched as Sophie settled on her hip, leaning forward to hug Bryan. She said something that made the man laugh. Scarlett, he noticed, was hugging Nattie as Christina gathered her things. He saw his opportunity and pushed his bag at Stu. "Throw that in the car, will yeh? Ah'll see yeh in about an hour."

"I'm a valet now?" Stu asked, grunting when Lou's elbow found his ribs. "I mean, sure thing."

He approached her, lips parting to offer assistance to her car, only to groan at the sound of Lou's voice. She swept forward, embracing first Scarlett then Sophie and Christina together, promising to call about the cake samples soon. Within seconds she and Christina were in the midst of a soft conversation. All Stephen could do was stand aside, waiting. Running a hand down his face he reached for his phone, which Christina had insisted on handing over as soon as he'd left the medic. As inconspicuously as possible he composed a message and hit send, watching Lou's face to see her reaction.

Seconds later she brought out her phone, glancing down at the screen as she continued to speak. She cut off mid-sentence, brow furrowing. With a quick glare in his direction she shoved her phone into her purse and continued speaking. He was about to send another when she leaned in for another embrace then turned to leave, Stu close behind.

Stephen approached again, one corner of his mouth lifting when Sophie smiled at him from the comfort of her mother's shoulder. "Yeh have fun?" he asked, unable to resist lightly patting her back. When she merely nodded, he glanced to Christina.

"Sleepy," she whispered. "It's well past bedtime now. We should get going."

"Ah'll walk yeh out."

"You don't—"

"Ah want to." He smiled when she nodded her consent.

"Sheamy tote me," Sophie requested, reaching for him. He lifted her into his arms, holding his breath as she wiggled around to lie against his chest. She gave him a smile as her head nestled on his shoulder and he knew he would do anything she asked.

She wrapped an arm around his bicep, holding onto the front of his shirt with her other hand. Stephen placed a hand on her back to steady her, looking down at Christina. "Yeh ready?"

Nodding, she picked up the bag of merchandise and reached for Scarlett's hand. "Aren't you worried about being spotted?"

"The show's been over for an hour. If ah'm spotted it won't be by many." If any fans were still outside, they were no doubt near the rear of the arena, hoping for a peek of the roster as they left. "Where yeh parked?"

"In the next town," Scarlett piped up, smirking when Christina rolled her eyes. "We always park far away."

"It's good exercise," her mother defended. She looked to Stephen and he saw her cheeks flush slightly. "It's not in the next town, I promise."

With a chuckle, he motioned for her to precede him. He was aware of the questioning looks from coworkers. The rumor mill would be rampant. After all, he didn't have guests backstage every day and when he did it was never a woman and two children. He didn't care what they thought but hoped the more vicious of gossipers wouldn't tear Christina to shreds.

The exit they went through was deserted but for a lone security guard who lazily nodded when Stephen thanked him for holding the door open. The Florida night was just cool enough to warrant the jackets Christina had put on the girls. Sophie grew heavy in his arms as they followed the sidewalk around the building, her grip on his shirt loosening. He instinctively tightened his arm around her, fearing she would slip away. As they reached the front of the arena his eyes scanned the area. He was fully aware of the dangers that lurked in the shadows and when Christina pointed out a car at the far end of the parking lot he was glad he'd insisted on walking them.

"I didn't know the light wasn't working," she sighed, walking next to Stephen. Scarlett squeezed her hand, not complaining about their quick pace. Christina knew the girl had to be exhausted after such a long day and hoped there would be no complaints the next day when she had to go to her riding lesson. As they approached the car she fished her keys out of her pocket. And wished again that she had a remote to unlock the doors. Instead she had to shuffle the bags of merchandise and hold Scarlett with one hand while fumbling with the keys.

Until Stephen plucked them out of her hand. With an ease she would never have he located the proper key and unlocked the driver's door, opening it. Then, as though to confirm to her that he was a consummate gentleman he took the bags from her, balancing Sophie in one arm as he placed the bags on the seat. She bit her lip, thinking of the McDonald's bag crammed with wrappers and empty cups lying on the floorboard. In the glow of the dome light she watched him straighten, saw the look on his face as he eyed the car.

"Yeh get them around in this?" Stephen asked incredulously, lightly kicking the tire. It was on the tip of his tongue to call it a heap of junk.

"She gets us where we're going." Christina opened the rear door and reached for Sophie.

"But does she get yeh back?" He pressed a kiss to Sophie's forehead before handing over over.

"Yes, she gets us back." Most of the time. Sometimes. But he didn't need to know that. She leaned inside to buckle Sophie into her seat, gently shushing her when she whined at being moved. Once the girl was settled Christina backed out to usher Scarlett in.

"Thank you," Scarlett said to him, her embrace quick but meaningful before she climbed inside. Christina watched to make sure she buckled up before closing the door, wincing at the screech of complaint from the door's hinges.

Awkward silence. She would have thought him to be adept at handling a goodbye to someone he would never see again. Then, thinking of Lou's request that she do the cake for her upcoming engagement party, she thought maybe she would see him. If only briefly. The thought did little to ease her confusing feelings. She wanted to see him again. For the girls.

Right?

"Lou and Stu are havin' their engagement party in a few weeks," he began, then smiled. "Yeh probably know that already."

"She asked me to do her cake," she confirmed. Forcing her gaze from the bandage on his nose she moved to push the bags into the passenger seat, glancing back at the girls to make sure they were settled.

"Ah was thinkin' yeh might like to go wit' me?"

He sounded so hesitant. Was he used to being turned down? What sort of idiot would turn him down? "I'll probably be there anyway," she murmured. Lou had almost insisted. As though they were the very best of friends already. Unless he meant... Her mind swirled. "Did you mean as in a date?"

"That's the general idea, yeah."

How long had it been since she'd been asked on a date? Bradley had taken her out when he could, of course, but they'd been married. Her heart ached as she recalled the first time he'd asked her out. He'd been so uncertain, with a hopeful smile on his face. Much like the man before her now.

But with Bradley she hadn't felt the worry that she was doing something wrong.

Taking a deep breath, she busied herself with finding the ignition key. She looked everywhere but at him, finally nodding. "I'd like that," she said in a rush. Turning she climbed into the car, shoving the key in as she rolled down the window.

"Are yeh sure?" He braced one hand on the roof of the car, leaning down to look in at her after she closed the door.

"I'm positive." She smiled to assure him. Perhaps she could assure herself of that before the party.

"Ah'll call yeh, then. And if yeh need me to ah can help yeh get the cake there." One corner of his mouth lifted.

"Thank you. I'll talk to you soon." Even from outside the car he dominated the space. The gentle breeze afforded her another whiff of his smell. It was comforting, the aroma of soap and a hint of cologne. "And thanks for walking us out. I know you have a million things to do—"

"It wasn't any trouble. Drive safe." He patted the roof then stepped back.

With a wave she rolled up the window then turned the key. "No," she groaned as a grinding noise emanated from the engine.

From the backseat came a sigh. "Messed up again?"

"It'll start, baby," she promised Scarlett, turning the key again. Again the grinding noise, then silence. Her forehead banged against the steering wheel. Of course. After she had just touted that the old girl got them where they were going and back home. She turned the key off and gave it a few seconds before trying once more. Again silence. "Shit."

"Mama..."

"I'll put a quarter in the jar when we get home." If they got home. Did she have enough cash to pay for a taxi?

A tap on the window startled her. Knowing who it was without looking she rolled it down, not daring look at his face for fear of seeing an 'I told you so' expression.

"Havin' trouble?"

"You could say that." She reached for her phone. "I'll just call my neighbor—"

"Ah'll give yeh a ride." He opened the door, causing her to to blink in the glare of the dome light. "That way yeh don't have to wait around out here."

"Oh, I couldn't ask that of you—"

"Yer not. Ah'm offerin'." He smiled, holding out a hand to her.

* * *

The ride, so far, had been silent. Sophie had miraculously remained asleep while being switched to Stephen's car. Christina still marveled that he had carried her in her seat across the parking lot. Scarlett had been impressed by the soft leather seat, and the fact Stephen let her choose the music. Glancing back, Christina saw her head was starting to droop despite the latest hit by Justin Bieber..

Directing him to take a left at the next light, she stretched her feet out in front of her. It was a nice car. More of an SUV, really. She had spotted the large cargo area in the rear and had immediately thought of the cakes she could transport in such a vehicle. The heated leather seats was an extra bonus. The largest bonus of all, though, was the driver.

She wanted to scream at him to stop being so nice. In the back of her mind the paranoid mother in her fretted. The man was a stranger. For all she knew he had devious plans for her and the girls once they reached the house. She was certain she watched too many true crime shows when she began to plot how she would defend her small family.

"It's alright if ah turn this off now, right?" he asked, his deep voice breaking into her thoughts. Calming her. Instantly she was reassured. He wasn't a psychotic killer.

Like he was a magnet, all her attention pulled to him. She nodded, secretly thanking the streetlights that gave enough light for her to view him without squinting. He switched off the radio before dropping his hand to the console between them. Her gaze traveled up his arm, taking in the muscles that strained his long-sleeved gray t-shirt. She unashamedly took in every detail she could, from the cap on his head to the dark denim of his jeans. Her thoughts took a decidedly wanton turn and she felt her cheeks burn when he glanced at her.

"Yeh alright?"

"Fine," she muttered. Just acutely aware of the fact it had been three years since she'd had sex. And suddenly horny. Squeezing her thighs together she looked ahead and breathed a sigh of relief when he turned onto her street.

When he hefted Sophie – seat and all – out of the backseat she realized he would be going into her house. And began to fret over the state it was in. The kitchen was full of dirty dishes. Had she even cleared lunch off the table? And the entry way was probably chaotic, shoes and toys everywhere. The living room. Easing an unconscious Scarlett into her arms, she groaned as she recalled the mess that was the living room.

Stephen didn't seem to mind, though, stepping over the clutter as though it were nothing. Christina placed Scarlett on the couch and pulled one of the blankets from the floor to drape over her, watching him unbuckle Sophie and get her onto the opposite end of the couch without waking her. That tug started up in her heart again, awed at the gentleness he exuded as he tucked a blanket over her. Then he smoothed her hair from her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. And Christina's heart did a strange flip.

Nice. Handsome. Chivalrous. Great with kids.

Dropping her purse and the merchandise on the floor, she followed him to the door. She wanted to babble over and over how appreciative she was, but when he turned and met her eyes she found herself mute.

"Ah'll be on the road for a few days." He was standing at the door, hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans. "But ah'll call yeh when ah'm back, if yeh want to go out to dinner or somethin'."

"I don't know." Christina glanced in the direction of the living room. The girls were asleep but the fact either of them could overhear her making plans for a date was forefront in her mind. It would be a date, wouldn't it? "The girls—"

"Ah'm not goin' to pressure yeh, Christina. And they can come, too." He smiled, and when he pulled his hand from his pocket his keyring jangled. "Ah'll call yeh tomorrow?"

It occurred to her that he was nervous. So was she. She realized her fingers were toying with her wedding rings and she forced them to still, then had no idea what to do with her hands. Her jacket. She still had it on, and reached to remove it.

"Here," Stephen murmured, dropping his keys to the table. Within seconds his hands were on her shoulders, slipping the jacket down. His closeness unnerved her. She turned to face him, gulping when she saw just how close he was to her.

"Thank you. For everything." It came out as a whisper. She'd never noticed what a giant the man was. He towered over her, exuding power, his muscles bulging. She knew she should step back but she was mesmerized. She tentatively placed her hand on his chest – just a quick touch, she told herself. Looking up at him, she would have sworn she felt his heartbeat accelerate.

"Ah should probably go," he whispered.

"Right. It's late." He nodded and she remained where she was, hand on his chest, frozen by his soft gray eyes.

"Ah'll call yeh." He leaned down , warm hand rising to cup her cheek, and she held her breath as his lips brushed over hers.

When she didn't pull away he sighed, pressing his lips to hers more firmly. The pad of his thumb swept back and forth over her cheek, drawing a soft sigh from her lungs. She stepped forward, jacket falling to the floor as she leaned into him. _Three years_, she thought as her fingers clutched the front of his shirt. Had it really been that long? She parted her lips, dying to taste him, and when he refrained from taking the initiative she did it for him. A soft whine died in her throat at the first taste. Craving more, she traced the contour of his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue, not resisting in the least when his arm slipped around her waist to draw her even closer. Now on her tiptoes, she dared to let her hands wander, finally clutching his biceps.

She felt her knees threaten to buckle, and something warm began to curl in the pit of her stomach, winding its way through her body. Lightheaded as he took control of the kiss with a growl, she merely held on, dangerously close to asking him to stay a little longer.

He broke the kiss, still holding onto her, and she stared up at him in awe. Heart pounding, barely able to breathe, and fully aroused now, she uncurled her fingers from his biceps. Her tongue darted over her lips, savoring the taste of him still. His hands moved to rest on her hips, fingers searing her skin through the denim.

"Oíche mhaith," he whispered. "Good night."

_Good night? I'm unbelievably horny now and he says 'good night' to me?_ Her mind screamed in protest but she nodded, hands sliding down his arms. "Good night, Stephen."

"Ah'll call yeh," he said again. His lips met hers again, this time tender and her heart fluttered in her chest as he pulled away.

He left and she leaned against the door to close it. She knew she was too old, too serious, to swoon, but she gave in to temptation. She hoped he would call. That she wouldn't become the quintessential pitiful idiot that waited around for a call that never came. And even as she let the hope come she felt the worry start to claw its way through.

"I'm in trouble," she muttered, turning to lock the door before pushing away to hurry upstairs. A hot shower was in order before she could bring herself to getting the girls in bed.

**A/N: A hearty thank-you to: Thatgirl54, charmedbyortonbarrett, Amber, Lou, Blackhat, Mizfit81, Jojo, Nikki, Agnesita1385, LilOrchidJenny, Athena MacG (so glad you took a chance and are enjoying it! and THANK YOU for those wonderful words!), and prettybaby69. Sorry for the delay between updates. I'd actually forgotten I had this chapter written until a certain someone pestered (coughLoucough) me about it. :)**


	7. Chapter Seven - Just a Taste

Chapter Seven – Just a Taste

Sophie's eyes grew wider and wider as she watched the cupcakes being arranged on the three plates. The multitude of aromas was almost too much for her. Her mother often said she would get sick of the smell of sweet treats that took over the house but Sophie knew that wasn't true. She would never get tired of cakes. Or cupcakes. Or pies. Or cookies. Or any of the other many baked sweets that her mother created from nothing. Sucking hard on her thumb, she followed her mother to the rarely-used dining room. "Ooo, lots'a cakes!"

"I have some cupcakes for you," Christina promised, already knowing the question was coming. "You, Scarlett, and Ricky can have a picnic out back while I meet with Lou."

"She bring Sheamy?" Sophie asked hopefully.

"No, sweetie. Sheamy's too busy to come taste cakes."

"Shoot." Sophie spun on her heel to follow her mother back into the kitchen. "When Ricky get here?"

Christina opened her mouth only to smile at the sound of the doorbell. It rang once, then after a pause, again. His signal. "I think that's him now – Scarlett!" she called, catching Sophie's arm to make her tag along. She didn't think her youngest would destroy the samples in the dining room, but she wanted to make sure the temptation didn't arise. When she reached the front door she glanced back to see Scarlett coming downstairs, a book tucked under one arm.

"W'icky!" Sophie greeted, wrapping her arm around the young man's leg.

"Hi, Ricky." Scarlett's greeting was more subdued but she smiled just the same.

"Did you put a magnet in your pocket again?" Christina teased.

"Oh man, I swear I left it at home." He chuckled, lightly tickling Sophie's neck. Her squeal caused both adults to wince. "Easy on the eardrums, kiddo."

"We have picnic!" she announced, clinging to his leg as he stepped inside. He made a show of dragging his left leg, groaning under her weight, causing her to giggle.

"Yeah? With what?" he asked, straining to lift his foot off the floor. "Chicken?"

"Cupcakes!"

"A perfectly well-balanced meal!" Ricky plucked her off his leg, swinging her around in a circle before holding her out at arm's length. "Did you know that cupcakes are good for you?"

"They are?"

Christina smiled as she closed the door, listening to Ricky's promise that cupcakes were good for the soul. And she breathed a sigh of relief when he added that they were only good after a healthy meal. She looked on as he followed Scarlett through the kitchen to the back door, Sophie hanging sideways under his arm. She didn't worry when they were with him. Growing up in a family of five children with more than a dozen cousins had given Ricky a knack for dealing with kids.

He and his family had been the first to welcome them to the neighborhood. As quaint as it sounded, she enjoyed the occasional chat over the back fence with his mother when they were both grilling or enjoying the weather. The girls had standing invitations to the Jones' pool. Scarlett was an honorary daughter in a house full of boys, indulging Mrs. Jones' desire to have a girl to spoil. Sophie had warmed up to the family when they had adopted a dog from the local shelter. It was possibly the only creature on earth who had more energy than she did.

Ricky had proven himself trustworthy and reliable, coming over late one night to stay with a sleeping Scarlett when Sophie had developed a high fever. Christina well remembered the long hours in the emergency room worrying about both girls. When they'd come home shortly after dawn she'd found her oldest tucked on the couch watching cartoons while Ricky threw together breakfast. After that he'd become a mainstay in their lives, pitching in where he could. She knew she relied on him too much. What would she do when he started classes in the spring?

Shaking her head to clear away the thoughts, she double-checked the samples in the dining room. There were several of each twelve flavors Lou had requested to try, each with different icing choices. The labels affixed to toothpicks were in place. The tablecloth was clean, a large bowl covering the Kool-Aid stain that no amount of washing could remove. There were no random toys lying around, and the scented candle she had lit earlier had removed the hint of neglect in the room. She'd pulled open the curtains to let in the afternoon sunshine. Pleased, she rushed into the utility room to change shirts.

The doorbell rang just as she pulled the clean shirt over her head. Shoving her arms into the sleeves she felt something odd on her left arm and wriggled about, finally pulling the used dryer sheet out. After stuffing it into the pocket of her jeans she hurried to greet her guest and potential customer.

"Hello," Lou greeted warmly, leaning in for a quick embrace as she entered. "Your directions were wonderful. I hope I'm not too early? God, it smells fabulous in here."

"You're right on time." Christina smiled, pushing the door shut.

"Good. I'll be sure and brag to Stu about that. He says I'm forever late. But of course I make him wait for me. That way he appreciates me more. Are the girls here?" she asked. She held up the black shopping bag in her right hand. "I snagged some merchandise for them."

"They're out back having a picnic and under strict orders not to disturb us unless someone's broken a bone." Christina motioned in the direction of the dining room. "I have the samples set up in here."

"I'm right behind you."

"You didn't have to get them presents. They already like you," she informed as she led the way.

"That's good to know. And it was no trouble. There's always so much lying around and we're free to grab some. It comes in handy when I need a present for my dad."

Christina jumped when she felt a hand on the small of her back. There was a tug, and she stopped, turning to face Lou. "What—"

"These are cute." Lou dangled a pair of pink lace panties from her finger. "Did you get them from Victoria's Secret?"

"Oh, God," Christina groaned, snatching the garment away and pushing it into her pocket. Certain her face was as red as the soles of Lou's Louboutin pumps, she made her way into the dining room. "Yes, I did," she muttered. "And that's the danger of just throwing everything into one load."

"That's not too bad. I wore my favorite pair on a date with Stu. Our last before we moved in together. I stood up to go to the ladies' room and bam!" She snapped her fingers, gaze firmly on the array of cake samples. "They fell straight to my ankles. And of course the bastard had to get up when I did and be a gentleman. So he saw them, too."

"What did you do?" Christina asked, knowing she would die of embarrassment if such a thing happened to her.

"What could I do? I stepped out of them, picked them up, and tucked them in his pocket. Then I told him I should have known better than trying to wear them around him anyway." Lou set her purse on the floor and began taking off her jacket. "It all worked out though."

"True," she agreed, taking the jacket and draping it over the back of a chair. "You're going to get married."

"Well, there is that. But we had the most amazing sex when he took me home. Up against the front door of my apartment. I think I had an imprint of the door on my ass for weeks. Where do we start?"

"Anywhere. I don't have them in any particular order." Grateful for the subject change, Christina grabbed her notebook and pen from the sideboard. Try as she did, she couldn't push the mental image of Stu, shirtless and sweaty, out of her mind. She sat next to Lou, biting her lip hard when the image shifted to one of Stephen. It brought with it the memory of his spine-tingling kiss. "Did you know him long before your first date?"

"A couple months. Ste set us up. I told you, didn't I?" Lou picked up the nearest cupcake and placed it on the waiting plate in front of her. When Christina shook her head she smiled, peeling away the wrapper. "I was smitten the first time we talked. The accent, you know. He can make the most boring things in the world sound unbelievably sexy. Just this morning he was telling me what he wanted for breakfast. It was all I could do to keep from jumping him in the kitchen."

"Why would you want to?" Christina blurted, immediately clapping her hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry. That was unprofessional—"

"Pfft, like I care." Lou took a dainty bite, then smiled as she licked frosting from her lips. "Red velvet. My favorite. I want the layer done in this. Two layers, with cream cheese frosting of course. No filling." She took another, larger bite. "Ooh, I like the filling. Better get a dozen cupcakes just like this."

Christina nodded and began jotting it down. Lou had already decided on a tower of cupcakes in several flavors. The topmost portion of the tower would be a layer cake for Lou and Stu to cut into during the party, mainly for a photo opportunity.

"And for the record, I did jump him. It worked up a great appetite."

The pen skittered across the page. Christina looked up, eyes wide, to find Lou smiling again as she polished off the cupcake. "That's... Good," she offered meekly, looking on as the woman selected a lemon cream with custard filling.

"Sorry. I like you and when I like someone I tend to just say whatever is on my mind. And I'm not bragging. Well, not much." Lou reached for the glass of water next to her plate. She regarded Christina carefully before taking a sip. "I take it it's been a while for you?"

There was something about Lou that made it easy to share what she couldn't with others. "Three years," she sighed.

"Oh dear. I can understand why, though. Has no one interested you? Or have you just not looked?"

"Both, I think." Christina turned to a fresh page and carefully began writing down Lou's specifications. Stephen's kiss came to mind yet again. If she concentrated she could still feel his hands on her hips. She knew if she closed her eyes she would still feel the whisper of his fingers against her cheek.

"Is your car fixed yet?" Lou set the lemon cream aside and reached for another. Carrot.

"They're taking their sweet time. I'll be glad when it's finished. I hate having to ask people to give me a ride."

"You're free to one of our extras. Stu has two in the garage now that he never takes out." Lou held the cupcake up as she leaned to rummage in her purse. "I'll text him now and ask."

"Don't! Really, Lou, it will be fixed soon. I'm sure he doesn't want me driving one of his babies. Especially with kids. Sticky fingers and juice boxes and muddy feet..."

Lou set her phone next to the plate. "Keep it in mind at least. He was saying just the other day that he should have someone drive them around once in a while to keep them running."

"I'll keep it in mind," Christina promised. She knew full well that even if the mechanic told her it would take six months she would never take up Lou's generous offer. Baking the cake and cupcakes for her engagement party were one thing. Driving one of Stu's cars around on a regular basis was another.

"No you won't. You're just as stubborn as Ste." Lou sighed then turned her attention back to the cupcake. "A dozen carrot with cream cheese. Can you do a little fondant decoration so they'll look different from the red velvet?"

Nodding, Christina jotted down a few notes before launching into decorating possibilities. They discussed the color scheme of the party, and after Lou had worked her way through five more cupcakes she got the idea that the woman was classical in her tastes. That was obvious when she took in her appearance. She was put together, from the expensive heels on her feet to the simple twist of blonde hair on her head. Silver chandelier earrings, a black watch and the sparkling engagement ring were her only jewelry, complementing the tailored black slacks and brown, belted top. Her makeup was flawless. Her purse matched her top. Her nail polish matched her lipstick and the famous Louboutin red. She looked as though she'd just stepped from a photo spread on classic fall fashion.

Christina felt as though she had just crawled out of of 'what not to wear' column.

"How many dozen is that now?" Lou asked. Dabbing her lips with a napkin, she did not look as though she regretted the amount of cupcakes she had consumed. She reached for the glass of water and finished it off before settling back in her chair.

"Seven. Two red velvet, one carrot, two vanilla, and two chocolate."

"Let's change the carrot to two and make it an even eight. You can throw a couple extra in and make an even hundred, can't you?"

"Sure. I always bake extras just in case." Christina flipped to the next page and began to sketch. "I'm thinking something simple for the cake topper. If you don't have anything you want to use, we can do our own. Some like the initials of the couple, or even a little decoration that signifies something to them."

"I like our initials. Something sparkly."

"I'll come up with a few mock-ups and email them to you. Did you want to choose what the stand will be made out of today?"

An hour passed. Christina tossed out ideas, jotting down the ones Lou liked. The other woman nibbled at more cupcakes as they talked, making decisions on many things that usually didn't come up until closer to the event. She had photos of where she wanted the cake, even a sample of the fabric that would be used as a tablecloth. They discussed lighting, other items on the menu and even the dress Lou would wear.

"Mommy! I not 'ruptin', goin' pot – Miss Lou!" Sophie barreled into the room, skidding to a stop as she reached the woman's side. The hug she gave was reciprocated and she had no trouble climbing into her lap. "You here! I knowed you was comin'. Did you pick cakes for your party? When is your party? Can I come too? Sheamy takin' Mommy. I heard her tellin' Nanny on the phone but she don't know I know."

Christina clapped a hand over her face. Of course Sophie had overheard. Unless it was someone telling her to pick up her toys, she could hear whispers a mile away. "Sophie," she began, aware of Lou's curious gaze, "you were going potty, remember?"

"Oh! Got's'a go, Miss Lou. Time for pee-pees then Ricky help me on swing. Tell Sheamy I say hi? And that I love him." Sophie smacked a kiss to Lou's cheek then scrambled down, rushing out of the room as quickly as she'd entered.

The gaze was still on her. Still curious but now with a hint of amusement. Christina clicked her pen repeatedly before setting it down on the notebook. Leaning back in her seat, she finally looked to Lou and sighed. "You're dying to ask questions."

"Yes, I am." Lou crossed her legs. She checked her phone, reached for her empty glass then changed tactics and clasped her hands in her lap. "But I promised Stu that I'd keep my nose out of it."

She almost left it at that. But, aching for input from a female that wasn't related to her, she decided to help the woman ease her curiosity. "He asked me the night of the show. I thought he was just being nice. I said yes. And then..." She thought of the kiss, and the worry that he wouldn't call the next day. But he had. She'd expected their conversation to be awkward; instead, talking with him had been easy. As promised, she'd found all the photos she'd taken that night waiting in her email. It all came out in a rush to a slightly surprised Lou, who remained quiet throughout her spiel. She realized she was still babbling and stopped, rubbing her palms against her thighs. Taking a deep breath, she focused on her latest worry. "He wants to take the girls and I out to dinner and a movie."

"You're going aren't you?"

"I don't know. I told him I'd think about it."

"What's there to think about?" Lou touched her arm. "The girls adore him already don't they?"

"Yes."

"And you like him." It wasn't a question. "You know he's a nice guy. He's good with kids. And apparently he's a fantastic kisser."

"Yes, but—"

"It's just dinner and a movie, Christina. He's not asking you to marry him." She smiled. "Come on, say yes. Even if it ends up a disaster you get a night free of cooking and some laughs at the theater. But it won't be bad."

Christina realized that Lou didn't understand the true conundrum. Fiddling with her rings, she looked down at the gold that had never left her finger. "I loved Bradley," she murmured. "I still do. He was perfect. Well, to me he was. He had his faults. Everybody does. But I knew I could never find another man like him. So I haven't looked. It's just been me and the girls."

"Do you think they'd be upset if you started dating?" Lou asked, her tone gentle. "Scarlett's so quiet, I couldn't tell what she was thinking last weekend. Was she close to her father?"

"They were joined at the hip when he was home. The sun rose and set by him." Christina felt the ache in her chest. It was always there. "For me, too." Wetting her lips, she looked to Lou again. "She likes Stephen, but right now she just sees him as someone famous who did something nice for us. I don't know what she'd do if he was around more. And Bradley's parents," she groaned. "I know they expect me to mourn him forever. And I will."

"Sweetheart you're so torn up about this." Lou scooted her chair closer and tucked an arm around her, giving a gentle squeeze. "I think you're analyzing it too much. The girls will be fine no matter what. I can tell just looking around here that Bradley is still an important part of their lives. That will never change. I know I'm probably overstepping because we just met but I like you. So I'm going to give you my advice."

"What's that?" Christina asked softly.

"First of all, stop worrying about what everyone else will think. This is your life, not theirs. And you're an attractive young woman. Don't be afraid to go out and live a little." Lou gave another squeeze and her smile was reassuring. "Go out to dinner and a movie with Ste and the girls. If it goes well, get a babysitter to watch them and go out with him alone. Put on those pink panties and get laid."

A laugh of surprise bubbled from Christina's throat. "That's the solution to it all? Get laid?"

"No, it's not a solution. But it's a damn good start. And if it doesn't work out with him, there are plenty of other men that would no doubt give anything to date you. That Ricky guy—"

"I am not going to live out some pornographic plot with the boy next door!"

"Then live out one with Ste. Or whoever. Sex isn't the answer to everything of course, but it will get you to relax."

Christina tried to imagine herself in bed with a man. Any man. She felt overly warm when the only image her mind conjured up was Stephen. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "It's just dinner and a movie."

"Right."

"With the girls, so there won't be any pressure."

"Exactly."

"And I'm going to the engagement party with him, so there's that, too."

"Yes."

"Are you always this smart?"

"Between you and me, no. But Stu thinks I'm a genius." Lou's smile was warm as she pulled away. "I should probably get going."

Thanks were shared as they stood. Christina turned back to business, promising to have mock-ups for the cake topper sent to her email soon. When Lou eyed the leftover samples she laughed and offered to box them up for her, doing so when the woman squealed.

Box in hand, Lou made her way to the front door. "Ste's at our place working out with Stu," she announced. "He has a gym of his own of course but you know how men are. They can do more weights or something when there's another man in the room. Call him."

"Call Stu?" Christina fought a smile as Lou slipped on her jacket. "Well, alright. When you suggested I go out and get laid I didn't think you were offering your fiancé. Can you give me his number?"

"Oh my God no wonder Ste likes you so much. You're both horrible." Lou turned to face her, a playful scowl in place. "Call Stephen. By the time I get home there better be a date set. Or I'll be upset."

"Do you always bully people into doing what you want?" Christina inquired, smiling.

"Only the people I love. We'll talk soon. Give the girls hugs and kisses for me. And make sure those panties are clean."

"Goodbye, Lou," she groaned, returning the warm hug. She watched from the door as the woman got into her car, waving before she drove away. Closing the door, she took a deep breath and released it slowly. Once in the kitchen, she eyed her cell phone warily as she straightened up. Finally, with a muttered curse, she picked it up and found Stephen's name. She told herself she was doing this because she wanted to as she pressed the call button.

It rang once. Twice. On the third ring she waited for voicemail to pick up and hoped it would. It would be easier to talk to dead air than to him personally. Half a ring, then a brief silence before heavy rock music caused her to pull the phone away slightly. "Hello?"

Just the sound of his voice brought back the full memory of their kiss. Leaning against the counter for support, she cleared her throat. "Hi. Are you too busy to chat for a couple minutes?"

* * *

Unaware of the smile on his face, Stephen ended the call and stared at the screen of his phone for a moment. Dinner at six thirty the next night, followed by a movie. He'd told her the girls could choose. He momentarily wondered if he'd be forced to endure two hours of animated stupidity.

The smile on his face grew.

"Why do you look like the cat that swallowed the canary?"

Stu's voice boomed across the home gym, causing Stephen to jump out of his reverie. Hastily he cleared the screen of his phone, pausing to look at the photo of himself and Sophie before shoving it into his bag. "No reason," he answered, pulling the towel from around his neck and crossing to resume his workout.

"That was a woman." Stu grinned knowingly as he set down his dumbbells. "Who was it?"

"None of yer business," Stephen muttered.

"Cake lady, eh?"

"Shut it."

"You were fucking grinning like you just won the lottery. There's no damned way I'm shutting anything." Stu placed his hands on his hips and looked on as Stephen got onto the treadmill. With an indolent air he leaned against the wall, silent while his friend started up with a brisk jog. "You already did that, by the way."

"Fuckin' hell." Stephen planted his feet on either side of the conveyor and turned off the machine. Running a hand down his face, he scowled at the sound of Stu's laughter.

"Finally gave in to a date did she?" Stu asked after a few moments.

Lying on the bench, Stephen glared up at his friend. He was unable to speak at the moment, focusing on the rhythmic rise and fall of the weight bar. When it clanged back into place he sighed and rolled into a seated position. "She did," he finally answered.

"Where are you taking her?"

"Dinner and a movie. The girls are goin' too."

"Ooh, tough luck." Stu adjusted the weights then tapped Stephen's shoulder. "Spot me."

"It's not 'tough luck' yeh insensitive prick." He stood and moved around to the head of the bench. "Ah wanted 'em to come."

"You're not going to get any with two kids hanging around."

"Ah don't... It's not about... Fuck off." Stephen rested his hands on his hips, silently counting the repetitions of Stu's bench lifts.

"You're wild about her already, aren't you? Christ, mate, you can admit it. I'm not going to go around telling everyone." Stephen raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'll tell Lou. But I have to tell her. She'd kill me if I didn't."

"And ah'll kill yeh if yeh do."

"So you are?" Stu pushed the bar into place and sat up. "What happened last weekend?"

"Nothin'." Stu was just as stubborn as Lou, if not more so. But Stephen was more stubborn than the two put together.

"It's me, Ste. You don't have to lie to cover your ass." Stu got to his feet and motioned for Stephen to take his place. "And it's not like you're a gentleman or anything, so you can kiss and tell."

"There's nothin' to tell," Stephen insisted, wishing he could think of something – anything – that would change the course of their conversation. "And ah am a gentleman."

"Lou said she heard from Christina that the sex was pretty damned good."

"Ah call bullshit on that," Stephen grunted as he began lifting again. He focused on the movements, exhaling slowly when his muscles began to burn. "One, she's not the type to talk about that and two—"

"The sex was bad?"

"What? No!" Stephen slammed the bar onto the rack.

"So it was good?"

"No. It was—" Stephen cut off with a growl when he saw the look of absolute glee on his friend's face. "There wasn't any sex. Yeh big ass."

"What was it, then?"

"A kiss, alright? Just a kiss."

"Just a kiss." Stu looked positively depressed.

"It was a great kiss," he defended.

"A great kiss," Stu deadpanned.

"Ah'm done talkin' about this." Stephen stood, rolling his shoulders to relieve the burn in his muscles. "Yeh got yer party all planned?"

"I guess. Lou's handling all the details. I just have instructions on what to wear. I'll be told twenty times that day when to start getting ready." Stu followed him. "Was this 'just a great kiss' mutual or did you initiate?"

"Ah have to ask Lou what she wants me to wear." Stephen picked up his bottle of water and took a sip. "And ah did."

"Just don't show up in jeans and a stained shirt and you'll be fine." Stu lowered his voice, as though someone could overhear. "Tongue?"

Stephen glowered. He thought about ignoring the question but knew it would be repeated endlessly until he answered it. With a sigh, he nodded. "Yeah."

"And she was into it?"

He thought back to the way she had held onto him. The dazed look in her eye when he had pulled away. And he smiled again. "She was."

"You copped a feel right?" Stu's face fell when Stephen didn't answer immediately. "Ste, mate, tell me you did. Oh, come on! You get her in for a kiss and don't take advantage? What the hell?"

"Ah'm a gentleman, remember?" he returned. He took another sip of water, looking away quickly. Too quickly.

"Tits? Or ass?" Stu demanded. "Wait, don't tell me. The ass. She seems the type to hold on too tight for a man to get a good feel of a tit."

"That she is," Stephen agreed with a grin.

"She does have a nice one." Moving over to the stereo, Stu lowered the volume. "And don't look at me like that."

Stephen wasn't surprised his friend knew he was scowling. He kept it in place, though, so the man could see it when he turned around. "Why were yeh lookin'?"

"Because I'm a man. Just because I'm engaged doesn't mean I'm dead. Plus, from what I saw, she likes to wear jeans that show off that particular asset." Stu turned and made an outline of a woman's figure with his hands. "You've always liked ladies with something to hold onto."

"Ah'm not havin' this conversation." He groaned, pushing the memory of Christina's curves from his mind, and grabbed a pair of dumbbells. Before Stu could bait him anymore, he blurted, "Ah take it Lou liked the ring?"

"Unbelievable," Stu muttered as he mopped perspiration from his face. "She did. I wasn't too worried, mate."

"Yeh sounded worried when yeh picked it up." Stephen perched on the edge of a bench and began a set of bicep curls.

"Well..." Stu shrugged, moving to the other bench to do the same. "I wasn't after we celebrated."

"Took her to dinner?"

"The next night, yeah. The night I asked we fucked like rabbits."

The heavy dumbbell crashed to the floor, narrowly missing Stephen's foot. "Christ, why are yeh tellin' me that?"

"I thought it was pertinent to the conversation." Grinning through the working of his muscles, Stu exhaled heavily and leaned to set the dumbbell on the floor before picking it up again to work his other arm. "And it's always good to know we haven't gotten stale, isn't it?"

"Ah've had the room next to yeh, ah know yeh ain't stale," Stephen muttered. "And no, plugging me ears never worked."

Stu's grin widened. "There's no shame in having a healthy, active sex life. You should try it some time."

"Wi't Lou? Ah don' think she'd like that... But if yer givin' us yer approval—"

"Fuck off, you know what I mean." Stu glanced up to regard his friend. "So, when are you going to take the skin boat to tuna town?" When he received a look of pure confusion, he grinned. "You know. Smash pissers. Part the pink sea. Feed the kitty. Get your hot dog on a bun. Plug the hole. Stab the trout—"

"Stop," the Irishman grumbled. Knowing he wouldn't be able to get a decent work out, he placed the dumbbells back on the rack and shook his head.

"Oh I've got dozens more." Stu dropped his dumbbell and lightly stretched his arms over his head. "Throw a log on the fire. Water the lawn. Sink the sub. Tickle your pickle. Service the clam. And my favorite: make the beast with two backs."

"Please stop," Stephen requested through clenched teeth. He ducked his head so Stu wouldn't see he was fighting a laugh. "Ah've known her what, a week?"

"Long enough to know you want to put the sour cream on the taco." Stu threw up his hands when Stephen whirled around to glare at him. "Last one, I promise. Got it from Heath."

"Yeh didn't jump into bed wit' Lou for six months," Stephen reminded.

"True." Stu placed his dumbbells on the rack and propped his hands on his hips. "But I knew she was the one. I knew that it would happen when it was the right time."

"Exactly." Stephen grabbed his towel, not realizing how his statement would be construed as he cleared the sweat from his chest. Glancing up when he heard a clatter, he saw Lou had entered the room and was dropping her purse on the floor.

"Hi," she greeted, moving around the equipment to give Stu a kiss.

"You taste like cake," her fiancé mused. "C'mere, kiss me again."

"I think I tasted fifty. She let me bring the others home. If you're nice I'll share." Lou turned her smile on Stephen. "Did she call you?"

"She did," Stu answered immediately. "You should have seen him, love."

"Oh, good." Lou clapped her hands together and perched on the nearest bench. "She needs to get laid."

"I just said the same thing about Ste."

Stephen threw up his hands and snatched his discarded t-shirt from his bag. "It's no' all about sex!"

"That's a very feminine thing to say, Ste." Lou sounded amused.

"Yeh know what ah mean," he muttered.

When he turned to face her she was nodding. "Of course I do. You want flowers and romance and unconditional love."

"Like a woman," Stu added.

Stephen rolled his eyes. After slinging the strap of his bag over his shoulder he headed to the door, making sure to stop and press a kiss to Lou's cheek. "Ah'm goin' home."

"Stomping off. Just like a woman."

Without looking back he threw up a middle finger.

_**A/N: Apologies for the delay! Long chapter to make up for the wait. Hope everyone is having a great new year so far!**_

_**Thank you to: LilOrchidJenny, Blackhat, ThatGirl54, Nikki, Amber, Malabrigo, Jojo, Lou, **__**VolcomStoneBabe, katiefabe, dashinginconverse, and prettybaby69 for the fabulous reviews. You guys (er, gals?) certainly know how to make me feel loved! I adore you all.**_

_**Tip of the hat to Lou for some bits of the dialogue in this chapter. (And for the bossiness. And the gentle but firm nudges to get my ass in gear.)**_


	8. Chapter Eight - Date Night

Chapter Eight – Date Night

"Sheamy here!"

The screech of her youngest caused Christina to mutter a curse under her breath. In her haste to see out the window overlooking the front yard, she tripped over a basket of laundry. Surely he wasn't there already? Peering out, she saw him climbing out of a black SUV. "Shit. Scarlett, don't open the door yet!

He would be early. And she would be practically naked. Yanking her bathrobe out of the laundry basket, she pulled it on, eye on Stephen as he headed towards the door. With a glance at the clock to see just how early he was – five minutes – she went into the hall.

"What are you doing, you little monkey?" She laughed to play down her anxiety at seeing Sophie scooting her backside down the top step. As quickly as possible she scooped the girl up, thinking of the safety gates still waiting to be placed at each end of the stairs. At this rate she'd have them installed when Sophie was ready to graduate high school.

"Sheamy here, Mommy! We go eat now?"

"Mommy has to finish getting dressed, then we can go eat," she promised as she carried the girl downstairs. Halfway down she heard the doorbell. Her palms began to sweat and she set Sophie down at the bottom to wipe her hands on her robe.

"Can I open the door now?" Scarlett asked, hand already on the knob.

When had she gotten tall enough to unfasten the locks? Momentarily struck by the fact her oldest daughter was now a shadow of the young woman she would become, she nodded.

Stephen had barely managed a smile in greeting when Sophie launched herself at him. He laughed, easily plucking her off his leg. "How are yeh, Miss Sophie?"

The girl settled herself in his arms, tiny hands resting on his chest as her lips formed an exaggerated pout. "Starvin'!'

"We'll take care of that soon," he promised, pressing his forehead to hers before turning to greet Scarlett.

Clutching the front of her robe together, Christina looked on with a smile as he stooped down so he was at Scarlett's level. Sophie slid out of his grasp, burning off excess energy by hopping around. She approached slowly, watching Scarlett's face brighten as she began to speak of her riding lessons.

"Sheamy w'ike horsies?" Sophie asked, tugging at his sleeve.

"Ah like 'em just enough to pat their noses," he answered with a chuckle. "Haven't been on one in years."

"You could come to the academy with me," Scarlett offered. "I ride Jupiter. He's the best. You'd like him."

"Ah'll see what ah can do."

Christina wondered if he got the significance of her inviting him to the riding academy. "Girls, get your shoes," she instructed softly. Her throat went dry suddenly when Stephen straightened to his full height. "Sorry, I'm not quite ready yet."

"It's fine. Ah'm early."

He eased the front door shut then shrugged out of his gray hooded sweatshirt, drawing her gaze to his biceps. The black t-shirt he wore was tight; the bulging muscles looked as though they would rip the material at any moment. A baseball cap rested on his head, concealing his red hair. Dark denim clung to his thighs and hips and Christina wondered how a man could be even better looking fully dressed. Perhaps because she saw him wearing practically nothing on a weekly basis.

"Yeh alright?"

"What? Yes. Yes. I'm fine." She cleared her throat, tightening her grip on the front of her robe. "I'm just going to run upstairs and get dressed."

"Mommy! Why you not ready yet?" Sophie asked, bare feet slapping against the floor as she brought her shoes from the kitchen.

"I'm going to do that now. Here, let me get your shoes—"

"Sheamy do it fo' me? P'ease?"

Stephen's hand landed gently on her back. "Go ahead and get dressed. Ah'll help wit' shoes."

"Thank you," she murmured, turning to face him when she felt his fingers brush through her hair. It was a brief touch, then he was leaning down to pick up Sophie's shoes. "I won't be long."

"Take yer—"

"Mommy! Get ready!" Sophie insisted, tugging at the hem of the soft terrycloth robe. "I starvin' an' Scar'ett starvin' and Sheamy starvin' an'—"

"And you need to learn patience," Christina finished, barely noticing when the girl began to shake her robe. It was a frequent occurrence, especially on early mornings when all she wanted was a cup of coffee and Sophie was ready to get her day started.

Stephen glanced up from his stooped position and she felt the heat of his gaze run up the length of her legs. Remembering that she wore nothing but her underwear, she jerked the robe free of her daughter's grasp. Too late, she realized when one corner of his mouth lifted in a quick smirk before he caught the girl in his arms and carried her into the living room.

"Mama, I'm going to wear my sandals." Scarlett jumped onto the bench near the door so she could see her reflection in the oval mirror on the wall. "Mama?"

"That's fine, sweetheart." She watched her shake her head back and forth, the braided pigtails bouncing. "I'll be down in five minutes."

Ten minutes later she descended the stairs, her ballet flats barely making a sound on the wood. Hearing the girls and Stephen laughing in the living room, she paused at the bottom, drawing in several deep breaths to calm her nerves. She fretted over her outfit. Was she begging for disaster by wearing a light blue t-shirt? And her jeans. Would they end up digging into her uncomfortably while sitting in the theater? She ran her hands through her hair, still damp from her earlier shower. Why was she so nervous?

"Yay! Mommy ready!" Sophie announced, rushing into the foyer. Christina glanced up to see Stephen following at a more sedate pace, Scarlett at his side. "Mommy! Sheamy say we no call 'im Sheamy. He say we call 'im Ste. Okay? When he no in ring he Ste, not Sheamy. But he won't be mad if I fo'get and call 'im Sheamy. We go now? Oh! Ste say he needs to put seats in his car. Scar'ett say he got TV in d'ere! And he say we watch somethin' on the way to go eat! We go now?"

"Breathe," Christina reminded with a soft laugh, giving her daughter a one-armed hug as she checked the contents of her purse. "Do you need to go potty?"

"Nope! I wait fo' big potty at eatin' place. We go now?"

"Ah'll put their seats in the truck." They were next to the door, ready to go, and he picked them up.

Christina glanced at him in the mirror and felt her cheeks warm when their gazes met. "We'll be out in a few seconds." Reaching for her brush, she slipped her hand into the pocket of her jeans to locate the clip she'd grabbed upstairs.

"Ah like yer hair down," he murmured, offering a quick smile before going outside.

When she carried Sophie out a moment later, balancing her on one hip as Scarlett skipped ahead to meet Stephen at his truck, her hair was down.

* * *

Stephen had decided to let the girls choose where they would eat. At the time it had seemed a brilliant idea. Now, though, with Sophie and Scarlett disagreeing over each restaurant they passed, he began to wonder if they'd be grabbing a bag of chips from a convenience store. He wasn't bothered by it; the girls hadn't started yelling at each other. Yet.

Glancing over at Christina when even Chuck E. Cheese was voted down, he saw the apology in her eyes. "It's okay," he promised before she could speak.

"Girls," she said, leaning around to look at her daughters. "Girls, let's make a deal. Sophie, you pick where we eat and Scarlett can choose the movie."

"_Brave_," Sophie whispered to her sister hopefully before looking out the window to choose.

"Anywhere but McDonald's," Scarlett whispered back.

After parking in the lot of the chosen restaurant, Stephen climbed out. He heard Sophie chattering to her mother about what she wanted to eat. Wanting to help as much as possible, he opened the door to help Scarlett out. She took his hand and hopped down, disarming him with a bright smile. They waited at the rear while Christina got Sophie out.

"So..." Scarlett began, causing him to look down at her. "Do you come here a lot?"

The tried and true line caused him to laugh. "Yeh mean the restaurant? No. If ah'm sharin' a ride wit' someone that wants to eat here ah do."

"I like it," she said. "It reminds me of Nanny's cooking." She looked up at him, squinting in the late afternoon sunshine. "Mama's grandma. She lives in Georgia. She and Papa have this old farmhouse in the country. I love it. They used to have chickens and cows and a really big garden. Now they just have a few chickens because Nanny loves a rooster crowing in the morning."

It was, possibly, the most he'd ever heard her say at one time. Giving her hand a squeeze as Christina walked up with Sophie on her hip, he turned in the direction of the entrance. "Ah grew up in the city," he told her, continuing to hold her hand as they crossed the parking lot. "But ah had an uncle that ran a farm. When ah could ah'd go out there and stay the night. It was a great escape."

"Escape from what?" Scarlett asked, nudging one of the rocking chairs in front of the building into motion.

"I'm taking her to the restroom. Do you need to go, Scarlett?" When she shook her head, Christina headed inside.

"Let's go get a table," Stephen told Scarlett, who nodded. When they were seated at a table for four, menus before them and a booster seat waiting for Sophie, he rested his arms on the table and leaned in so he could speak quietly. "Growin' up, ah was poor. We lived in a house with other families. Had to share the bath and the toilet. And me mum had to schedule when she'd cook a meal. So when ah went to me uncle's farm, ah got to escape everythin'."

"Wow." Scarlett's eyes were wide. "Didn't you hate it?"

"Ah didn't know anythin' different. Ah was warm, had food in me belly, and a few friends to pal around wit'. And ah was happy."

"Mama says that as long as you have people that love you, you're richer than anyone in the world." Scarlett's smile was shy, and she fiddled with a peg in the wooden triangle she'd pulled in front of her.

"Yer mum's right," he promised. "Smart woman, she is."

"All mamas should be smart," she giggled. "And nice. And soft."

"Soft?" he repeated. "How do yeh mean?"

She looked embarrassed. "Like when I fall down and scrape my knee or when Sophie bangs her head. Mama always kisses and cuddles us to make the pain go away."

Stephen smiled warmly. "Yeh love yer mum don't yeh?"

"A lot." She lifted her head and he was immobilized by the look in her eyes. Wary, but at the same time defiant, she tilted her head. She could have been an overprotective mother questioning a teenager's date. "Do you?"

How to answer that? He knew she wasn't asking if he loved his mother. And he certainly knew that brushing the question away would do no good. She was no doubt ten times as stubborn as her sister. "Ah don' know her enough to know that yet," he answered after careful consideration. "But ah do like her a lot. And ah like yehself and yeh sister a lot too."

"We like you, too," she confided.

"Ah'm glad to hear that." He smiled.

"But Mama loves Wade Barrett."

The smile disappeared. "If she spent time wit' him, she wouldn't, trust me." He kept his tone light despite the sudden flare of jealousy. It was crazy; it wasn't as though his friend was remotely interested. Nor was she. He was sure. Rather, he hoped.

"Did you pick out the name Sheamus?" she asked, pushing the peg game to him.

By the time Christina and Sophie arrived at the table, he and Scarlett had both relaxed. He rose, taking Sophie into his arms so he could fasten her in the booster seat. She pointed out that he hadn't made it tight enough then reached for her menu and crayons. Babbling the whole time, she began to circle what she wanted for dinner.

When he looked up he caught Christina looking at him. He smiled, a bit embarrassed to find her watching him so intently. Running a finger beneath the neck of his suddenly too tight t-shirt, he cleared his throat and nodded to the area of the kitchen.

"Ah ordered Sprite for yeh. Scarlett said yeh don' like their tea."

* * *

"I don't wanna sit by myself, Mommy. Wanna sit with Ste. He hold me if I get scared right?" Sophie whipped her head around to look at the man. "P'ease?"

"Mama, can we get popcorn?" Scarlett gently tugged on her mother's hand, gazing hopefully at the snack stand.

"I haf'ta go potty!"

"Oh, they have Twizzlers!"

"I want some too!"

"Girls," Christina broke in before either could speak again. Taking a deep, calming breath, she looked down at Scarlett. "We'll stop and get a few snacks and a drink. After we visit the restroom."

"But I don't have to go." Scarlett made a face. "Can I stay out here with Ste? Please?"

"Ah'll take her to buy popcorn and stuff while yeh take the little'n," Stephen promised, his hand warm on Christina's back. "Extra butter on yours?"

"Please," she murmured. _Stop being so perfect_, she thought with a quick smile.

"Why Sheamy-Ste no take me potty?" Sophie asked as she was carried towards the restroom. "'Cause men go pee in the wall? Is that why? Why men pee on the wall? They no like to sit down? I like sittin' on the potty. Ooo, can I try to pee on the wall like men do?"

Of course her questions had increased in volume until she was nearly shouting. And of course the ladies' room was filled with females of varying ages. Some must have been mothers, for they offered sympathetic smiles. Rushing into the first stall she could find, she placed her daughter on the floor and latched the door.

"I am begging you on all things holy to please stop asking such embarrassing questions in public," she whispered, helping her climb onto the toilet. "But I don't know why men pee that way. And how do you know they do?"

"Saw W'icky go potty once. He fo'got to close the door tight an' I needed my cup. Didn't see his wee-wee though. Waited in the hall fo' him to finish."

Speechless, Christina heard the distinct sound of smothered laughter in the next stall. She knew she should remind the girl to knock. And to not discuss private parts, especially in a movie theater ladies' room. But all she could do was wait for her to finish. Wondering why toddlers had no verbal filter.

Hands washed, Sophie insisted on walking back to the lobby. She spotted Stephen and called out to him, yanking on Christina's hand.

Christina eyed the two giant boxes of popcorn and large drinks he held warily as they approached him. Scarlett held onto a tray filled with boxes of candies that were a rare treat. Thankfully there were no questions regarding urination as they entered the theater. Stephen let the girls choose their seats, and soon they were settling into seats near the center of the large room.

As dates went, she supposed it was good. There had been no disasters over dinner. The girls had been too busy eating their food to talk too much, and she felt her cheeks warm when she recalled the looks Stephen had given her. When they had walked back to his car, his hand had clasped hers securely.

Giddy over looks and holding hands. Was she in sixth grade again?

"Yeh look so serious," he commented as the theater darkened and the reminder to silence cell phones came onto the screen. Scarlett sat to his left, her array of treats in her lap. Sophie sat on his right, barely able to see over the popcorn in her lap.

She felt a hand brush her shoulder and glanced over at him, smiling in the near-darkness when she saw his arm stretched across the seats. "Just thinking."

"Good thoughts ah hope."

"Very good." The screen flashed, giving her a clear look at his face. "I'm having fun."

His smile was sincere as his hand brushed her shoulder again. "Me too."

"Shh!"

They both looked down at Sophie, who had tilted her head back to glare up at them.

"Sorry," they whispered in unison before sharing a smile.

Just as the movie began, her youngest whispered that she was cold. Stephen reacted before Christina could, wrapping his hooded sweatshirt around her. Then, to her obvious delight, he lifted her into his lap.

Christina witnessed the tender kiss he pressed to the top of Sophie's head and felt her heart flutter. As soon as she could without being obvious she moved into the vacant seat, stowing the popcorn and drinks next to her.

Within moments she felt the comforting weight of Stephen's arm around her. Drawn into the story, she sympathized with the headstrong Merida and her equally stubborn mother. She laughed, she gasped, and more than once she felt tears sting her eyes. Head nestled on Stephen's shoulder, she was vaguely aware of his fingers lightly stroking her hair.

Scarlett slipped into her lap during the climactic fight, and in the ensuing tender moments of the film Christina wasn't ashamed to let her tears fall. She turned to Stephen when the credits began, dashing the tears away with her hand.

"Yeh missed one," he whispered, raising his hand to brush a tear from her cheek.

"It got to me," she admitted softly. "The whole mother and daughter struggle—"

"Yeh don' have to explain." His kiss was brief, stolen as Scarlett grew heavy in her lap. "We better get the girls home."

* * *

Settled in the corner of the couch with Christina at his side, Stephen was enjoying the quiet. The girls had gone to bed with no argument, Sophie giving him sleepy kisses and Scarlett thanking him for a great night. He hadn't had the heard to ask for his sweatshirt back, insisting Sophie keep it until she saw him again. Judging from the grin she'd given him over her mother's shoulder he doubted he'd ever see it again.

Christina had joined him in the living room within moments. Bare feet tucked beneath her as her head rested on his chest. It seemed natural, holding her while the girls slept upstairs. He glanced at the clock on the mantel. The moments ticked by a little too quickly for his liking. Too soon he would have to leave. When all he really wanted was to hold her in his arms all night.

"Tonight was wonderful." She turned to face him, causing his hand to drop from her shoulder to her waist. "Thank you. I know the girls had a lot of fun."

"Yeh aren't worried they'll find a witch and turn yeh into a bear?" he asked with a grin, enjoying her warm laugh.

"Scarlett promised she won't. She told me when I tucked her in that she wants to be Merida for Halloween." Christina's finger traced his beard. "Which means I have to find a red wig."

"Shouldn't be too hard," he murmured, gaze dipping to her lips before moving back to her eyes. "Ah'm glad they enjoyed the movie. And ah'm glad yeh had fun tonight."

"Do I have to wait until you're at the door before I get another kiss?" she asked in a whisper.

"If yeh wanted a kiss all yeh had to do was ask." He tightened his arm around her waist to pull her closer. When she scooted as close as possible and slid her leg over his he felt a surge of relief. And desire. Lifting his other hand to cup her cheek he lowered his head, finding her lips in a tender kiss.

She tasted of mint, and, when his tongue explored further, chocolate. Did she always taste so sweet? He heard a soft whine then felt her fingers on his neck. Longing to feel more of her he moved his hand to the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair as he guided her into his lap. His love of control took a backseat to her comfort.

The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away.

Her hands framed his face and when she broke the kiss he felt her tremble. "Just so you know, this isn't going to lead to sex."

He licked his lips, all too aware of her breasts crushing against his chest. Then she shifted in his lap. Sucking in a breath, he nodded and smoothed her hair back. "Ah wasn't expectin' sex," he promised. "Ah just want to hold yeh'."

"You can do a little more than hold." With a quick smile, she traced his bottom lip with her thumb before leaning in for another kiss.

"How much more?" he asked between kisses, sliding his hands down her back. The plush curve of her backside beckoned to him and he gave in to temptation, gently palming her before giving a squeeze.

"I'll let you know."

"Be sure yeh do," he whispered before fusing his lips to hers. She moaned, a pleased sound that encouraged him to do more. He felt his cap slide off his head then her hands were there, gliding through his hair. Letting one hand slide up her side, he hesitated before lightly cupping her breast.

"Oh," she gasped into his mouth, pressing her body tighter to his. Stephen began to pull away but she shook her head slightly, placing her hand over his to hold it in place. Her other hand fluttered down his neck then over his shoulder, finally resting on his bicep. "Sorry. It's been a while."

He wanted to ask how long. It occurred to him that she had probably been celibate since the death of her husband. But maybe she hadn't. The thought of another man sharing her bed sent a flare of jealousy through him. Pushing the thoughts away, he moved his lips to her neck, inhaling the faint scent of cake that he would forever associate with her. His hand remained on her breast, barely squeezing, and when she squirmed in his lap he lifted his head.

"I'm not going to break you know," she murmured. Her cheeks were flushed, lips swollen and damp from their kisses. She clutched his bicep, fingers pushing the sleeve of his t-shirt up. "You're allowed to use these."

With a growl, he leaned close, nipping at her bottom lip. "Ah don't want to hurt yeh."

"You won't." Her smile was a bit on the shy side, and she ducked her head to press a kiss to the side of his neck. "And if you do, I may like it."

Stephen drew in a deep breath, unable to focus on much more than each place her body touched his. Knowing he had to keep his desire in check, he lifted her as he sat up straighter. He trailed kisses down her throat, tongue flickering over her skin. Feeling the bite of her nails in his arm he brushed his thumb over her breast and smirked against the base of her throat when he felt her hard nipple tighten. He held her to him as he stood, turning to toss her onto the couch.

She sat up to meet him with a kiss, hands smoothing down his chest. When her fingers reached the hem of his t-shirt he grabbed her wrists and stretched her arms above her head. Her eyes widened at his dominance, a smile pulling at her lips. He lay over her, holding his breath at the feel of her legs tangling with his. She arched beneath him, causing him to nestle tighter between her thighs.

"Oh god," she whispered as their fingers twined. She squeezed his hands and gazed up at him. "Kiss me? Please?"

The words had barely passed her lips when he did as requested. Loosening one hand from hers he cupped the back of her head, as much to keep her still as to touch more of her. The room felt too warm so when she shivered he knew it wasn't from being cold. His other hand squeezed hers then slid along her arm, grasping her breast a bit rougher than he'd intended. Feeling her teeth scrape his tongue in approval he felt a wave of relief.

She tilted her head back, hands falling to his shoulders. Raising his head, Stephen watched as her pulse thrummed in her throat and was amazed at the reaction to his kisses. He pushed his hand lower, hesitating at her waist before slipping beneath her shirt. The thin silk of her bra felt hot to his fingers. He tested the weight of her breast in his palm, dipping his head to press his lips to her neck. She gave a breathy gasp that sent a surge of heat through him. No longer hesitating he pulled the bra down, sweeping his thumb over the puckered flesh of her nipple before rolling it between his fingers.

Christina shuddered, legs tightening around his in a vise-like grip. A tortured cry echoed in the room. Stephen lifted his head and stared down at her, awed by the rosy flush that colored her cheeks. He felt her body tighten then she started to tremble. Realizing what had happened, he eased his grip on her breast, finally laying his palm over her heart. She dug her fingers into his shoulders as her body trembled with a series of sobs.

"Yeh alrigh'?" he whispered when he saw a tear trickling away from her eye, not minding the grip she had on his shoulders. Tenderly, he brushed it away with his thumb.

She nodded, surprising him by yanking him down for another kiss. Untangling his hand from her shirt he wrapped his arms around her, holding her for the several long moments it took her to stop shaking. "Oh my god," she whispered. "I need a cigarette."

He smiled against her forehead, reaching to wind his finger in the curl that rested against her cheek. "Yeh don' smoke."

"I know." Her laugh was brief but warm. Easing her grip on his shoulders, she smoothed her fingers over the material before draping her arms around him. Each move she made was languid, reminding him of a cat that had lain in a sunny spot. She stretched out her legs, a pleased sigh causing her breath to fan across his neck as she relaxed completely. "I told you it's been a while."

"Shh." He pressed a finger to her lips before replacing it with his mouth. "Let me think ah'm just that damn good."

"Is your ego that fragile?"

"Yes it is." His lips found hers again. He enjoyed the slight tremors that caused her to shake beneath him every few moments. "It's made of glass."

"Hmm. Strange, considering the rest of you is made of steel."

**A/N: OMG y'all never fail to amaze me with your wonderful reviews! They warm the cockles of my heart! I laughed so much at everyone's reaction to the last chapter. A very big thank-you to: charmedbyortonbarrett, boston246, prettybaby69, ThatGirl54, Nikki, Keeper of Oz (x2 – an extra thank you for reading it all!), Jojo, Lou, Shamaness1171, MistyKnight (another thank you for reading the entire thing!), Amber (is just over a week acceptable? xD), MizFit81, and LilOrchidJenny for the fabulous reviews. I truly hope you all continue to enjoy this story. **


	9. Chapter Nine - Going Good, Going Great

Chapter Nine – Going Good, Going Great

The hotel room was, in Stu's opinion, just like every other hotel room he'd stayed in over the years. Weary from a long drive he gave it a cursory glance as he and Lou entered. "Bed," he grunted, nudging her aside so he could make his way to what looked like a comfortable spot to rest his head. He stumbled over her suitcase and cursed, falling face-down in the center of the bed.

"Aren't you at least going to take off your shoes?" she asked, kicking the bottom of one foot. His answer was a grunt. "Stu..."

"For fuck's sake it won't hurt anything."

The rustle of fabric, then an indignant huff. Knowing she couldn't see, he smirked against the pillow. And knowing she had to see it, he carefully rolled onto his back, folding his arms behind his head. He counted to three in his head and tilted his chin upward just as her lips parted.

"They're still wet with rain. And so is your jacket." Her pretty nose wrinkled. "You're getting the bed wet!"

With a roll of his eyes he sat up. "Would you rather I got you wet?"

She seemed to consider his offer, and a small whine came from her throat. "No," she bit off. "Please take off your wet things? You'll catch cold."

"Catch cold," he muttered, rolling his eyes again. "It's fucking sweltering in here."

"Stuart."

"Louise," he returned in the same annoyed tone.

"You've been impossible all night. What is wrong with you?"

"I'm tired. My elbow's acting up because it's fucking cold outside, which makes me feel like an old man. And you're nagging."

"Get used to it. You asked me to marry you, remember?"

He almost suggested that was a mistake but knew the resulting fight would end only with his death. "You didn't nag as much before."

"You weren't as big a dick before either." As she had complained she had undressed and now stood at the foot of the bed clad in a pair of red panties and matching bra. She noticed his gaze stray over her body and folded her arms over her chest. "And you're not always so grumpy when you're tired. What's wrong, really?"

"Forget it." His eyes moved to rest on the delectable cleavage that showed above her arms. He peeled off his shirt then made a show of removing his shoes. "How about I work on making you wet now?"

"How about you actually tell me what's troubling you instead of pushing it aside like it doesn't matter?" she returned. She reached for one of her bags. Using the spare bed as she always did, she began to unpack what she would need before leaving him in the morning.

He was well aware that admitting he would miss her would make him sound like a spoiled child. Three days without her would be torture. It didn't matter that he would speak with and text her several times a day until she was back at his side. Where she belonged. Sighing, he leaned to peel off his socks. "I'm just tired, love. Plus we're leaving for Europe soon. And that means less time to relax."

"I thought you'd be excited about going home and seeing your family." Lou gathered up her hair and fastened it in a loose knot at the base of her neck. Her eyes flashed with worry as she glanced at him. "They do know about the engagement don't they?"

"Of course they do," he promised. She was rarely given to bouts of low self-confidence and the last thing he wanted was her worrying that his family didn't like her. He smiled at the thought. It had taken only moments for her to charm his parents. "Come on, you know they love you more than me. They're already making room for grandkids."

Her eyes widened and she gave a little head of her shake. Several strands of hair fell from the knot she'd created, showing off the waves created by the rain that had caught them on the way inside. "Stu..."

Right. She wanted to wait before having kids. He had no desire to start up that discussion again. Opening his mouth to suggest again that she join him in bed, he remained silent as she spoke again.

"I adore them. I adore you, too. But you're not going to change the subject."

He rubbed his chin, gaze once more on the curves of her breasts. "What was the subject?"

"Ugh." She folded her arms over her chest, ruining the fantasy he had started to create that involved her removing the bra. "Why are you so pissy tonight?"

"I'm tired. You're leaving. It's been a long fucking day and I want to go to sleep. Come on," he urged, beckoning with one hand.

"I'm still cold from the rain. I'm going to take a bubble bath."

With a smile as sweet as sin, she turned, leaving him staring at her backside as she walked into the bathroom. Stu was on his feet and halfway across the room when the door snapped shut behind her. Frowning at being shut out he reached for the knob, only to hear the lock click into place. 'Goddamnit. Lou!"

"You said you wanted to go to sleep," she retorted through the door. It rattled threateningly as she shed the panties and bra but she ignored it. It would do him well to stew for a bit. Humming, she turned on the water, which drowned out the noise he was making. She used the bottle of shower gel provided by the hotel to create frothy mounds of bubbles, enjoying the scent of lavender that filled her senses as she stepped into the tub. The hot water instantly soothed her chilled skin and she sighed, settling in comfortably as the faucet continued to run.

She lifted her head when the muted rattling stopped. Had he given up so easily? Oh well, she thought, leaning back and letting her eyes close. Using her feet to turn off the water, she released a long-suffering sigh, fingers swirling through the bubbles. Whatever his problem was, he'd tell her eventually. He always did sooner or later.

The door flung open, banging against the wall with a resounding crash. Startled, Lou sat up straight and could only stare as her fiancé came into view. He leaned in the doorway, holding up a silver stick.

"You picked the lock with my nail file?" she asked incredulously.

"You wouldn't open the door." He tossed the file onto the counter and regarded her. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Gee, I don't know," she answered slowly. "Maybe wait for me to come out?"

The corners of his mouth dipped down as he raised his shoulders in a shrug. She would have been aroused had he not irritated her. Torn between desire and anger, she felt herself start to waver. He had the nerve to lean in the doorway. Obviously aware of her struggle, he traced his lips with his tongue.

"Goddamnit," she groaned, sinking down into the tub until all she could see was a mound of bubbles.

"Come to bed."

"I'm trying to take a bath," she ground out.

She had no idea he had stepped forward until his hand wrapped around her upper arm.

His grip was vise-like and she mentally cursed his strength when he yanked her out of the tub. She gasped when he spun her around so she faced the mirror over the vanity, his expression smoldering. Frozen by his gaze in their reflection she lost track of his hands until they grasped her hips.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. He threatened to spank her frequently; it was almost a running joke between them now.

"I'm going to make you wet, my dear. All you need to do is stay still." He leaned over and kissed her shoulder. "Can you do that?"

"I can try."

His chuckle vibrated against her skin. "Good girl."

She wiggled her hips as she adjusted her stance. His hand came down on her backside, the sting seeming more pronounced and she yelped.

"You might want to be quiet, too," he advised, palm stroking the flesh he had struck. He nuzzled her neck, hot breath on her wet skin causing her to shiver. Fingers slid over her hip then forward as his lips moved down her back. His tongue flickered over her skin, seeming not to notice the bubbles that still clung to her.

Her head dipped forward, hands now gripping the rim of the sink. She drew in a shaky breath; her knees were already starting to buckle. Goosebumps rose where his tongue touched. And when his hand slipped between her thighs, cupping her, she gave a soft whine.

"Shh," he admonished, nipping at the small of her back.

"I can't be completely silent," she whispered.

"Do I have to gag you?"

"Only if it's with your co—Stu!" she squealed when his teeth sank into her backside.

"One more outburst like that and I'm going to bed," he growled. "Fully dressed."

Lou pressed her lips together and bit down hard on the tip of her tongue. She barely heard the words he murmured, too busy focusing on the way his breath rushed over her skin. The way he managed to keep her immobile with just the one hand between her thighs. His fingers teased, barely touching her flesh, and just when she thought she would collapse from the anticipation he nudged her thighs further apart.

"Feels like you're already wet," he mused. One finger traced her, sending a shiver up her spine. His breath coursed over her inner thigh. She tensed, breath lodged in her throat, only to let it out in a stuttering gasp when his tongue replaced his finger. Instantly it was gone. "Are you sure you can stay quiet?" he asked, hands sliding to grasp her hips.

Not daring to speak, she gave a nod. A million curses formed in her mind when he merely pressed a chaste kiss to her thigh. She felt him stand, gave in to the guiding of his hands until she was situated just so. Looking back at him over her shoulder, she felt she would melt at the intensity of his gaze. The jeans hanging on his hips fell down and she grinned. Their bickering was the furthest thing from her mind as she braced herself.

The pounding she heard had to have been her heart. How did he do it? Render her a pile of useless goo with just a few words and touches? She wouldn't question it. No, she would revel in it and thank the powers that be for—

"What are you doing?" she whispered when his hands left her.

The pounding came again and she realized with a frown that it was someone banging on the door. Turning to face Stu, she hoped to entice him back.

But he was already pulling up his jeans and on his way out the door.

"Stu!" she growled, jaw dropping when he stopped to give her a smile.

"It's Ste. He texted a few minutes ago that he wanted to grab a pint. Get back in the tub and wait for me." He crossed the space between them and caught her lips in a quick kiss. "Stay wet."

"You can't—"

"Yeh ready, fella?" Stephen called from the hall.

"Just a minute!"

"I hate you," she groaned, pulling him in for another kiss. "And I hate him."

"We love you too. Get back in the tub," he said again, smacking her backside to get her moving.

* * *

Christina eyed the exterior of the shopping mecca warily as she climbed from Lou's car. Instinctively she glanced to the rear door to catch Scarlett before she could leap out then realized the girls were at home with Ricky. She turned her attention back to the store they had parked close to. "Lou," she began softly as the other woman rounded the car to be at her side. "When you said you wanted help shopping for the engagement party, I was thinking of décor items. You know, knew candlesticks or tablecloths? Not Saks Fifth Avenue."

"Saks sells candlesticks and tablecloths," Lou informed, marching towards the entrance with the air of a woman on a mission.

"So does Wal-Mart," Christina muttered as she rushed to catch up. "Call me crazy, but I doubt you'll set foot in their home department."

"Maybe... On the way to shoes or lingerie perhaps." Lou removed her sunglasses as they stepped inside. "Now hush. You were the one who said the only decent dress you have is five years old. Stu insisted I take his car and buy you something nice."

"Just like he insisted you bring his truck for me to drive?" She snorted, thinking of the gleaming black Silverado she was afraid to touch. It was still where Lou had parked it in her driveway. Where it would remain until her own car was fixed. Smiling when Lou rolled her eyes, she followed her to Women's Apparel.

Lou trailed her hand down a silk dress hanging from the polished rails then looked back to Christina. "What do you have in mind?"

"Something black." Even though a smile graced her lips, her tone was more than somber. A sudden change that even the most casual observer would notice.

"Don't you want something a bit more colorful?" Lou turned to scan the array of clothing available. She knew exactly what a black dress meant and she wanted to steer Christina away from it without offending her. Hard when she often put her foot in her mouth.

"I'm not sure I could pull off a bright dress." The words were spoken as she smoothed the front of her lime green top and she saw the hypocrisy in her statement.

"It doesn't have to be bright." Smiling, Lou pulled out a silky dress, but soon cringed at the less than flattering print. "Maybe not that one."

"Not unless you're planning a fancy dress party." Christina smiled and laughed, her focus on the vast amount of materials and colors a head of her.

"Well, Halloween isn't that far away!" Lou stopped along side a rack of sheer blouses in a multitude of colors. Tapping her chin thoughtfully she looked around, the floor plan in her mind swiveling as she got her bearings.

"Don't remind me, I have to find _Brave _costumes for the girls." Christina came to a standstill beside Lou, wringing her hands in front of her. She was probably more used to spending her time shopping in Toys R Us for the girls. Or, to Lou's chagrin, Wal-Mart for herself.

"Brave?"

"The movie I saw with Stephen and the girls, they fell in love with it." Christina swooned, eyes sparkling with the mention of Stephens name.

Immediately Lou remembered Stephen mentioning the same look in her eyes when she found Stu."And what about you?"

Christina scoffed as she discarded another colorful item then said, "What? I've only known him a month!"

Interesting. Lou smiled. That certainly wasn't a no. "I meant the film."

With a laugh, Christina backtracked and followed her through the store. "Oh. It was good. Really good."

Lou set her eyes on a fabulous pink dress with the perfect cut for Christina's shape. She pulled it out and waved it in front of her. "What about this?"

"It's very pink." Christina pulled a face. It wasn't going to be easy, but she'd get her in a colorful dress if her life depended on it.

"There's no harm in trying it on."

Taking a few steps back, Christina hunted through the rails, skipping past clothes she didn't see fit. "I like this one."

Now it was Lou's turn to pull a face. "It's very black and plain."

"But-"

"But nothing! Don't you want to show off that gorgeous figure to Stephen?" Flattery was her plan of her attack, and if it was true what they said, she would get her way.

"I don't have a figure." Christina held onto the hanger, looking at the dress then back at Lou.

"Of course you do, it's just hiding under those frum-" Lou bit her lip and rethought her words.

"You can say it, Lou. I've heard a lot worse." Christina sighed and put the dress back onto the rack with the rest.

Settling a comforting hand on Christina's shoulder, she could see the fight in her eyes. She wanted to hold on to the little black dress. Hold on to what she knew. It was easy for Lou to tell Christina what to wear or what to change. But she knew she'd have to push her little to get her to cooperate. A new dress wouldn't change her life, but it may change part of her outlook.

"There's no harm in trying something different on, you might actually like it!" Lou grinned and tried to turn the conversation into something a little more cheery and gossiping would do just that. She linked her arm with Christina's as they crossed the room. "So your date with Stephen, how did it end?"

"What about this dress?" Christina yanked up a navy blue dress. Lou stopped walking. At least it wasn't black.

"Change of subject, huh? Was it that bad?" Taking the dress from Christina's grip, Lou moved them forward. She had her eye on a red dress that was calling out to her.

"It was that good." The wistful sigh that Christina let out made Lou grin from ear to ear.

"Ohh that's more like it. Give me the details."

"There aren't many to give." Christina avoided Lou's gaze and suddenly grew interested in a plum-colored dress. "He was a complete gentleman."

"And I'm the Virgin Mary," Lou snorted. "Details!"

The woman groaned when Lou plucked the dress out of her view. Left staring at an empty rack, she began toying with the rings on her finger. "We sat on the couch. The girls were asleep before we got home and it just felt right to cuddle with him."

Lou quelled the urge to hasten her new friend's story. "Yes," she agreed.

"We kissed and it progressed and ugh." Christina's cheeks darkened considerably. "You know how long it's been for me, and..."

Grabbing a turquoise dress off the nearest rack to keep from shaking her, Lou nodded.

"He played with my nipple and I came."

The words came out in such a rush that Lou barely heard them. It took several seconds for the meaning to sink in and her grip on the dresses loosened. Speechless, she could only stare as Christina took the dresses.

"Want me to start with these?" she asked.

Lou nodded, mute. She was left standing between the racks for a full moment as Christina headed in the direction of the changing room. Something snapped inside her and she bolted forward. "Wait!" she cried, elbowing a browsing customer out of her way. "You can't just tell me that and leave it!"

"I just did," Christina fired back, increasing her pace. Her cheeks were crimson when Lou caught up to her and the woman scowled. "How can you run in those high heels?"

"A lot of practice. Please, give me more details?" Lou requested.

"What do you want to know?" Christina darted into the first changing room and closed the door before Lou could barge in with her.

Lou reared back to avoid a broken nose. With a huff, she tapped one foot. "I don't know. Everything." There was no immediate reply and she lightly knocked on the door. "Were you at least wearing your lucky pink panties?"

* * *

Stephen leaned back in his seat. He mentally went over his to-do list, certain he had forgotten something. Knowing when Lou returned from her brief vacation that he would have to admit he'd been lost without her, he propped one foot on the opposite chair and thought. He'd done all the media he'd been scheduled for that morning, even filling in for Randy in a radio interview, who was coming down with the flu. He'd met with Paul and John about an upcoming Make-A-Wish event, and had thoroughly read each of the scripts for the night's show that had been handed him. Hopefully he would recall the right one when the camera was on him. He'd worked out, eaten, spent some time in the ring, and was now in his ring gear waiting for the show to start.

Rubbing his chin, he reached for his phone to check his email. As soon as he saw Christina's name he remembered: he'd promised to call her before the show. He opened the email she had sent him, a smile pulling at his lips as the attached images loaded. Sophie and Scarlett had spent the day before drawing pictures for him. Stick figures in a lopsided ring. Stick figures holding hands, the shorter one with long red hair. Christina had scanned in each one, apologizing in the email for disturbing whatever he was doing. But Sophie had insisted.

The last image gave him pause. Scarlett's drawing wasn't stick figures, or wrestling related, or even of him. No, she'd drawn the horse from Brave, which they'd agreed after the movie was the best horse ever.

He sent a quick glance around to make sure everyone else was occupied with other things before pulling up Christina's number. Pressing send, he pushed the phone to his ear, leaning forward to offer himself a bit of privacy.

Nearby, Stu perked up when he saw the phone and grinned. He dropped the lint brush he'd been using on his coat and moved to the bench close to Stephen. "Calling the cake lady?"

"She has a name," Stephen muttered as a third ring sounded in his ear.

"Lou said they're shopping today. Knowing her, they're nowhere near finished."

"Shut the fu—"

"Stephen? Hi!"

She sounded breathless and he closed his eyes, the memory of her writhing beneath him fresh in his mind. He wet his suddenly dry lips and cleared his throat. "How're yeh?"

"Fine. Picking up dinner with Lou. Then she's coming home with me and we're going to watch Raw together with the girls." He heard Lou's voice in the background, mingled with the noise of a busy takeout restaurant.

"Ah just wanted to thank yeh for the pictures."

"Did you like them?" Her voice held warmth and he knew if he closed his eyes he'd see her smile.

"Ah love 'em. Scarlett has talent. Ah might get her to design me next shirt."

Christina laughed. "There were more but I didn't want to flood your inbox. I'll give them to you when I see you again."

"Ah can't wait."

"Neither can I. Hold on just a second? Ricky's calling."

Stu's gaze was still on him when he leaned back in his seat. "So, how is she?"

"She's gettin' dinner wit' Lou." Stephen held the phone between his ear and shoulder as he reached for his bag. "Then they're goin' to watch Raw together with the girls."

"Girls' night." Stu nodded. "Ice cream and chocolate and pizza and junk food. They'll gorge themselves on the couch until they can't move and spend the night complaining about men and the price of a bikini wax."

Stephen laughed at his friend's generalization of female behavior. "Attended a few girls' nights, have yeh?"

"I've had the misfortune of being stuck in a room next to Divas having one. Did you know that a good bikini wax can cost about a hundred dollars? I should go into business."

"Ah don't think Lou would like that."

Stu opened his mouth to retort but Stephen waved him into silence at the sound of Christina's voice.

"I have to go home," she blurted. The background noise he'd noted earlier was fading and he felt his heart tumble anxiously.

"What happened?" he asked. "What happened?" he asked. On his feet as though he could do something to help all the way from North Carolina, he ran a hand down his face. "Christina?"

"Sophie's missing."

And the line went dead.

**A/N: Insert evil laugh here.**

**Thank you to: Amber (I forget to breathe when Sophie's on a spiel too), boston246 (yay!), charmedbyortonbarrett (my daughter has asked way more embarrassing questions, trust me!), ThatGirl54 (OMG I get so giddy when I read your reviews!), WitchKel14 (I did see the tweets! And don't worry, he will forever be Sheamy to Sophie), katiefabe ("cute little shit" had me guffawing), Blackhat (thank you dear!), Keeper of Oz (if she's smart she'll forget where she put it), ConchaaRex (virtual boxes of goodies are acceptable. I love chocolate! ;)), Jojo (I know! Can I replace Robert with him?), Shamaness1171 (Glad you're enjoying it!), XmarX (That was possibly the best compliment to my writing. Thank you SO much!), LilOrchidJenny (I wish I could find a guy like him too!), MistyKnight (Eee! Thank you!), Lou (I always expect a doggie biscuit from you. XD), Nikki (Awww yeah!), prettybaby69 (She's definitely one of a kind!)**

**I think I got everyone. Seriously, everyone continues to blow me away with their response to this story. I love each and every one of you. I say it all the time but it's so true: I have the best readers ever. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. :D**

**An extra special thank-you to the fabulous Lou for her help in this chapter. She gives me a kick in the as – I mean she gives me the encouragement – I need to get this story written. Love yous!**


	10. Chapter Ten - Nightmare

Chapter Ten – Nightmare

Christina stared out the window as Lou sped in the direction of her home. Not seeing the familiar scenery, she replayed Ricky's frantic words in her mind.

_"I can't find her anywhere. The front door's open."_

How many times had she told the girls not to go outside alone? Who had left the door unlocked, enabling Sophie to leave? Had someone shown up and snatched her?

Her heart ached and she willed Lou to drive faster. But she was slowing down. Blinking, Christina realized the car was pulling up in front of the house. She had the door open before the car was stopped and rushed to the door. All the lights were on, and she saw that the Jones' house was lit up as well.

The front door opened as her foot touched the first step. Ricky's mother, face pale, came out to greet her with a hug.

A flurry of questions tumbled from Christina as she held onto the older woman. She heard Scarlett's voice and broke away to clutch her daughter. Her heart ached at the thought that she may never be able to do the same with Sophie. Something soft bumped against her neck when she picked her oldest up. Sophie's favorite stuffed bear.

"What's happened?" she asked Mrs. Jones.

"Ed and Ricky are checking the block. I've been calling neighbors but..." Mrs. Jones guided her inside, greeting Lou with a nod as they entered the house. "I don't know all the details."

"I was helping Ricky unload the dishwasher." Scarlett's voice was tiny but steady as she wrapped her arms around Christina. "Sophie was playing in the living room. It got quiet so Ricky went to check on her and she was gone. I should have been with her, Mama. I'm so—"

"Shh. You didn't do anything wrong," Christina promised, tightening her grip on the girl. She looked to Ricky's mother. "You've checked the house, right? She's not hiding upstairs in a closet?" She clung to that little bit of hope, but it started to slip when Mrs. Jones shook her head. Another hope sprung. "Maybe she went next door to the—"

She cut off when she heard feet on the walk outside. Fingers tangling in Scarlett's loose waves, she turned to see Ricky and his father coming up. The looks on their faces answered her question before she could vocalize it. They hadn't found her. Her baby. Out there. In the dark. Cold. Hungry. Was she crying for her? Was she able to cry? Knees threatening to buckle, she sank onto the bench beneath the mirror, pressing reassuring kisses to Scarlett's cheek.

"Go with Lou into the kitchen," she whispered. "She'll give you dinner."

"Sophie's okay, right Mama?" the girl asked.

"I'm sure she is. We'll find her, don't worry." She kissed her cheek again and looked to Lou. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not. Come on, Scarlett." Lou took the girl's hand and led her into the kitchen. Christina saw the large bag of takeout in the woman's hand and couldn't remember getting it. Had they paid? All she could remember was laughing at something Lou had said while speaking to Stephen. And then Ricky's call.

"No one's seen her." The young man was hugging himself. His eyes were red and there were fresh tears on his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Fitzgerald. I didn't realize the door was unlocked. I should have—"

"How long has she been gone?" Christina tried to keep her voice calm. She knew if she began to crack she would become useless in searching for her daughter. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. "You called me twenty minutes ago."

"It was at least twenty minutes before that. I checked the house and the yard. Called Mom and Dad. It could have been almost an hour."

Her heart shattered at the thought of her baby outside, alone, for that long. The sun had been setting when she and Lou had left the house. Sophie had to be cold. Wherever she was.

"I'll call," Mrs. Jones offered gently.

"No." Christina was on her feet, rushing into the living room for the cordless phone. "I'll do it."

In the kitchen, Lou meticulously placed the containers of Chinese food on the table. Painfully aware of the voices coming from the foyer, she cleared her throat and looked to Scarlett. "What do you want to drink?"

"May I have a soda? Please?"

Lou nodded. She had no idea if Christina allowed the girls to have sodas or if they were a rare treat. But now wasn't the time for that sort of worrying. She crossed to the refrigerator and looked inside, chewing on her thumbnail as she took in the contents. Juice boxes, a pitcher of filtered water, a jug of milk, and two bottles of wine. In one of the drawers she located a can of Sprite and popped it open to pour into one of the brightly colored plastic cups on the counter.

She recognized the other. Bright pink and emblazoned with Disney princesses, it was Sophie's favorite.

"Lou? Your phone."

Broken from her thoughts of the little girl, she turned and rushed back to the table. "Here you go." Her phone continued to ring from within her purse but she ignored it, wanting to focus on Scarlett. "Pick out what you want and I'll serve you."

The ringing stopped and she heard a sob from the living room. She admired Christina's strength; she doubted she would have been able to move if her child went missing. Her phone beeped with a message but she continued to ignore it, focusing on serving Scarlett from the containers.

"I'm not really hungry."

"I know." Lou scraped most of the rice back into the container. "But you need to eat. That sounds like something my mother would say."

"Mama says that, too." A glimmer of a smile and Scarlett reached for a packet of soy sauce.

"Mothers are good at that sort of thing. They don't know how to act if a child doesn't want to eat. Egg roll?"

Scarlett nodded, and once Lou was satisfied she had enough on her plate she handed her a paper napkin. "You'll make a good mama, Miss Lou."

Lou blinked rapidly, a thousand ways to brush off the comment springing to her mind. Instead, she leaned over and embraced the girl. "Thank you for that," she whispered. "Now eat."

Her phone began to ring again and she finally dug it out, moving to the doorway so she could peek through to the living room. Connecting the call, she murmured for the caller to hold on a second before lightly touching Ricky's arm.

"She's calling the police." Ricky dragged a hand over his face and zipped up his hooded sweatshirt. "I'm going to check the next block."

With a shaky breath Lou turned to keep an eye on Scarlett. Phone tucked to her ear she heard Stu muttering. "Sophie's gone," she whispered. Her hands were trembling and she hugged herself, clutching her opposite elbows. "They can't find her anywhere. Christina just called the police."

"Fuck." A loud bang sounded from Stu's end of the call and Lou pictured him slamming his fist against a locker.

"She needs Ste." Lou continued to speak softly, glancing from Scarlett to the living room. She could just see Christina, hunched over as she spoke into the phone. "Stu. She needs him."

"He's already talking to Paul. Don't tell her, though. He might not be able to come out immediately."

"Okay." Lou bit her lip as something outside caught Scarlett's attention. Craning her neck, she saw the flash of police lights outside. "I'll probably stay here tonight. In case she needs a shoulder. Or something."

"Good idea. She needs you."

"No, she needs—"

"I know, love." He paused. "He's going into the locker room. Nothing's being thrown so he's probably coming down."

"Good. I better go." She needed to be with Christina. And Scarlett, who was rushing by to join her mother in the living room.

"Stay strong. I'll come home as soon as I'm finished tomorrow night."

She wished he could go with Stephen to keep him calm on the way home. But she nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Okay. I love you. I'll call when I know something."

* * *

The highway stretched ahead of the car, dotted randomly with red taillights in the distance. A long expanse that seemed to go on forever. Beyond the beam of the headlights the countryside was pitch black.

Stephen stared out the window at absolutely nothing. The cars they passed were but a blur, the lights at the exits brief flashes before his eyes. He could feel the car vibrating slightly, could hear the engine, the faint hesitation as it slipped into a lower or higher gear.

Turning to glance at the driver, he instead settled his gaze on the speedometer. Stu was driving as fast as he could without getting stopped. But to Stephen it seemed they were crawling along at a snail's pace. He stretched his legs out as best he could, cursing the uncomfortable seat under his breath. As he adjusted the seat belt he felt his phone begin to vibrate in his lap and looked down at the screen.

"Armstrong?" Stu guessed when Stephen ignored the call.

"Yeah." He had at least two dozen messages from coworkers, all asking why he had left so early. He was surprised that Paul had told Stu to drive with him. But his friend and mentor had been looking at the photo of his daughters on the screen of his phone and insisted they leave as soon as possible. The wait for a flight had been too long and it had been decided – by Stu and Paul – that it was best to just get a rental and hit the road.

"Have you tried calling her again?"

Stephen shook his head. "Ah told her ah'd call when we got closer. The police were there..." He blew out a breath. "They're searching the neighborhood."

"Are they going to do the Amber Alert?'

"That's only done if a child's been abducted. Right now there's no proof." He was grateful of that. Wasn't he?

It seemed hours before Stu murmured that he had stop for gas. Stephen nodded and looked at his phone again. No more missed calls. More messages than he wanted to deal with at the moment. He climbed out of the car when Stu parked at the pump, scrolling through the message list. One from Lou requesting that he or Stu call her when they close to Tampa.

"Ah'm goin' in to get a drink," he told Stu, who nodded.

He crossed the lot to the well-lit store, his lower back complaining with each step at being cramped in the car for so long. As he neared the door he reached out to pull it open, only to step to one side when it was pushed from the inside. He and the man sidestepped each other and Stephen's heart did a funny twist in his chest when a childish giggle sounded. Finally looking to the man, he saw a small girl balanced on one hip. For a second his heart stopped completely.

It wasn't Sophie. She was too small, too dark, and Stephen felt his heart break as he held the door open for them to go on their way. Questions began to run through his mind. Questions he'd held back since Christina's frantic words.

How could she just disappear? Had she just walked outside? If so, why? Had no one noticed her walking down the street? Had someone grabbed her? Was she someplace comfortable? Was she scared? Hungry? Cold? Crying? Had she done something to get into trouble and slipped out to avoid confrontation? If so, where would she hide? Where the hell could a three year old go in a neighborhood full of families and not be seen?

He grabbed several energy drinks from the cooler, not caring whether they were ones he liked or not. Thinking of Stu, he grabbed a few more and carried them to the front. As he waited for the clerk to ring them up he added some candy bars, eyes on the garish Halloween decorations that surrounded the counter. Without thinking, he tossed two stuffed, neon green spiders in with the rest and reached for his wallet.

Back in the car, he sipped from the first can he opened as Stu muttered complaints about the price of gas. They were on the road within moments, the interior of the car silent.

Horrible thoughts began to creep in with each mile marker they passed. Had Sophie been lured away from her safe home? By some perverted psycho? She loved animals and despite Christina's diligent instruction she could probably be coaxed away with promises of a cute puppy or a fluffy kitten. Was she tied up in the back of a dirty van? Was she being raped? Beaten? Was she even alive anymore?

With that question echoing in his mind he put his head in his hands and shuddered.

"You can't think the worst." Stu's voice was gentle and attempting comfort. "I know what you're thinking. Sophie's too smart to fall for that. She's probably tucked herself somewhere no one's thought to look and fallen asleep."

"Christina said they've turned the house upside down looking for her. She's not there," Stephen ground out.

"Do you really want to spend the next few hours coming up with all the terrible things that could have happened to her?"

"No," he wheezed, yanking a hand through his hair as he sat back up. "Ah love her, Stu."

"I know." There was no mocking in his closest friend's voice. "It would be impossible not to."

"She's become a light in my life, yeh know? Scarlett, too. An' Christina." His eyes began to burn. "She's gone through so much already. She lost her husband when Sophie was just a wee baby. She's had to fend for herself wit' only her daughters." Tears were threatening but he ignored them. "She'd die of something happened to either of 'em."

"No, she won't," Stu insisted. "And nothing's happened. She's fine. You'll see."

"What if she's not?"

No answer was forthcoming. None was needed.

* * *

Her throat was raw from calling out her daughter's name. In her mind she could still hear the echo of her cries and those of the neighbors that had joined in the search. Her legs ached from pounding the pavement looking for even the smallest hint of Sophie. Her head throbbed, and her eyes burned with unshed tears.

The house was blessedly silent now. The police had come immediately after her call, taking Sophie's description and Ricky's statement. She hadn't recognized her voice as she rattled off her daughter's height, weight, eye color, hair color, and what she'd been wearing. When they'd requested a recent photo of the girl she'd pulled one up on her phone and sent it to the stoic but sympathetic detective's email address.

She could recall the bright lights and strangers in her house and yard, each one searching every nook and cranny just in case before fanning out over the neighborhood. Ricky's story had been repeated so much that she could recite it from memory. Scarlett had stayed by her side.

There had been a few rays of hope. One elderly lady had sworn she'd seen a van in front of Christina's house around the time the girl went missing. But after questioning other neighbors the detective had come back, still stoic, to tell her that the van had been there days before, and in front of the Jones house.

Those rays had died and she was certain a small part of her heart had died as well.

The cup of tea someone had fixed her was cold in front of her. Her house had emptied out in the wee hours of the morning, the detective suggesting she get some rest. Even now she scoffed out of the idea. As though she could even think of rest. She was just biding her time until Lou awoke, then she would start searching again. She could find no solace in these quiet moments as the first hint of sunlight began creeping through the window.

Ignoring the protest of her muscles she rose to her feet and moved quietly upstairs. She tiptoed down the hall, taking a deep breath to steel herself as she passed Sophie's room. When she reached the the next bedroom she peeked in and breathed a little easier upon seeing Scarlett fast asleep in the middle of her bed. The blanket had been kicked off at some point and she moved forward to pull it back into place, swallowing back the tears when she saw the teddy bear the girl held. Sophie's beloved, ragged bear. Leaving the room as quietly as she had entered, she pulled the door to and went back downstairs.

As she reached the bottom she heard a car outside. Her heart leaped in her chest and she bolted forward to see who it was. The police. They'd found her. As soon as she opened the door she would be able to hold Sophie in her arms. And she would never let her go again.

She frowned upon peering out the window and seeing a strange car parked at the curb. She looked on, gasping when the passenger door opened and Stephen climbed out. She'd only spoken to him only once since getting Ricky's initial call. It had been hectic and she could barely remember what she'd said to him. But knowing that he drove all night to be with her was overwhelming. He'd come. He'd left work without knowing all of the details. For Sophie.

The first tears slipped free as she fumbled to remove the chain and unfasten the locks. A strangled sob lodged in her throat as the deadbolt jammed but she finally freed it, wrenching the door open just as he stepped onto the porch.

Within seconds she was in his arms. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing hysterically as his strength and warmth surrounded her. Grabbing fistfuls of his sweatshirt she felt him guide her back into the house. He didn't speak, didn't try to calm her, and she briefly thought him the most wonderful person on earth. His arms tightened around her as his lips rested against the top of her head. Christina continued to cry, frustration coming out as she beat her fist on his chest.

When the tears stopped he continued to hold her. He whispered her name, one hand moving up to cup the back of her head.

"Have yeh slept?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She shook her head. "Yeh need some rest."

"I can't—"

"Shh." His fingers gently massaged her scalp. "Yeh can't help Sophie if yeh let yehself get exhausted. Come on, upstairs."

Meekly, she nodded, letting him guide her upstairs. She pulled away to go and close the door, only to rear back at the sight of Stu. Stephen's hand rested on her arm. She wondered if he thought she would fall over if he let her go.

"I'll lock up," the Englishman promised gently.

Christina nodded again and found her voice. "Lou's asleep on the couch." She followed the guiding of Stephen's hand back to the stairs but turned back and met Stu's gaze. "Thank you for getting him here."

Stu gave her a nod, and she let Stephen lead her upstairs. Feeling like a stranger in her own home, she stood in the center of her bedroom as he rifled through the basket of laundry on the floor. A pair of pajama pants and white tank top were placed in her hands. Staring down at them, she clenched her fingers tightly to keep them from shaking.

"Get changed," Stephen murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Before she could answer he moved into the bathroom. The gentle _click _of the door closing behind hm caused her to jump.

She did as instructed, sniffling as she went to sit on the edge of the bed. How many times had she fussed at Sophie not to jump on the bed? What she wouldn't give to have her there now, jumping hard enough to shake the entire house.

Stephen returned, looking as exhausted as she suddenly felt. He knelt in front of her, one hand brushing the hair from her face. Silent, he used a warm, damp cloth to clean the tears from her face. Numb now she could only stare into his eyes, looking for at least one answer to the countless questions in her mind. When her face was clear he rose, tossing the cloth into the bathroom.

"In yeh go."

Christina blinked up at him, having no clue what he meant. She must have not moved fast enough for him because he leaned over, pulling down the covers. A gasp pulled from her lungs at the feel of his hands on her hips, lifting her up and gently placing her in the center of the bed. He tucked her in almost reverently and she sighed when he pulled away.

"Stay," she whispered, reaching for him.

He nodded, pulling his arm free of her grasp. She watched him cross the room to close the door, hiding a yawn against her shoulder as he removed his shoes and sweatshirt. His gray t-shirt fell to the floor with the other clothing and she slid over on the bed to make room for him. It felt so right to curl close to his side when he joined her, so natural to drape her arm across his waist and rest her head on his chest. Gentle fingers combed through her hair and this time she didn't bother hiding her yawn.

The worry was still there. The fear, the dread, the terrible ache in her chest were all still there. But there was comfort in his embrace. There was reassurance in the steady pound of his heartbeat. Tears started up again and the prayer for Sophie's safety that had become her mantra overnight repeated itself. Above the cacophony in her mind she heard his voice. Gentle, soothing words that she didn't understand. She let them lull her, though, and her last conscious thought before slipping into comfort was that maybe things would be alright.

**A/N: A special thank you to Malabrigo, katiefabe, whtevritis2, WitchKel14, ThatGirl54, Keeper of Oz, canadice, foldintothenight, Jojo, Amber, Lou, Nikki, MistyKnight, LilOrchidJenny, Shamaness1171, prettybaby69, and wibragirl for the reviews. Hopefully you all no longer hate me. I adore you all!**


	11. Chapter Eleven - Let Me Hold On Forever

Chapter Eleven – Let Me Hold On Forever

The light that filtered through the small gap in the curtains and into the living room was enough to wake Stu up from his less than peaceful slumber. The same couldn't be said for the woman lying in his arms though. The moment he'd caught sight of her when he'd arrived with Stephen, he knew she was exhausted. They'd barely spoken once he'd woken her up to join her on the couch. There wasn't much space, but there would be plenty of time to rest in their own bed once Sophie was back. He wasn't in any doubt they'd find her, he just wished he could have passed his optimism onto Stephen.

Stephen. He sighed and hoped his friend was getting some rest upstairs. Christina, too. He'd barely recognized her when he'd walked into the house and discovered her clinging to Stephen in the front hall. He'd heard her sobs before he'd made it up the steps. Hopefully Stephen's presence would keep her calm.

Lou stirred in his arms and he couldn't help but tighten his grip around her. He wondered what she'd been through already and hated that he hadn't been by her side. No doubt she'd had to support Christina overnight. Scarlett as well. Grateful that she could lean on him now he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She liked to put up a good front but underneath that she was fragile. It had taken him months to learn that for himself. He was certain many close to her still had no idea. She stirred again, her breath warming his neck.

"Hey." Her greeting was quiet as she looked up to him, bracing her arms on his chest to try and sit up. He felt her slim body stretch out next to his, grateful for once to feel her toes scratching at his leg. "What time is it?"

He wondered if she even remembered where she was, not in a hotel room like she probably thought they were. Flakes of mascara were dotted under her eyes from where she'd rubbed them. Gently he swiped at the marks, studying her face as he did. She looked exhausted. Scared. Worried. He would have given anything to wipe those anxieties away. He glanced at the Rolex still on his wrist, a birthday gift from Lou, and was surprised that it was almost six thirty.

"Still early, go back to sleep." He tried to coax her back down but instead she tried to sit upright as much as their position allowed.

She stretched her arms above her head, causing the light blanket he'd pulled over their bodies to fall away. He unconsciously pulled her closer to him. "How long have you been awake?"

Hours. "A little while."

"Thank you for driving Ste here, you're such a good man." Taken aback by the compliment, Stu could only nod his head. He knew if anything had happened to Lou, Stephen would do the same for him. He hadn't done it for adulation. It was what friends did. When Paul had approached him to suggest he accompany Stephen, there had been no hesitation. "He really loves her, doesn't he?"

Just as he opened his mouth speak, he heard the pitter-patter of feet. His stomach did a funny flip and his heart almost burst from his chest. Sophie? She'd come back? Sitting up, he clutched onto Lou to stop her from falling off the couch. He grimaced, a sharp pain running through his shoulder. Damn, he was getting old. The last time he'd slept on the sofa it was because he'd upset Lou, but he'd learned from his mistakes. The next day he bought a bed for the spare room that had been filled with furnishings and belongings yet to be sorted out. And he'd tried his best to not upset her again.

"Scarlett." Stu smiled as the girl appeared in the door of the living room but her eyes widened in shock.

"Is Sophie back?"

"No, sweetie." Lou had answered before Stu could open his mouth, "Come sit with us."

Peeling his arms from around his fiancé, Stu watched as she embraced the young girl. He swung his legs off the sofa to give them all some room. He should probably get up, make some coffee and get out searching for Sophie, but he was glued to watching Lou with Scarlett. She pulled her up so she was between them, fingers brushing sleep-tousled hair from the girl's face.

"I dreamt about her." Scarlett's voice was small, almost cracking as she spoke. Maybe the effects of the previous day were catching up even with the sleep she had gotten. Lou wrapped her arm around her shoulder and tucked her into her side.

"You did? What happened?"

Scarlett turned to look up at him. With sadness dancing around her eyes, it was clear she missed her sister. Lou smiled at him, as if she was used to being around children that needed a shoulder to lean on. But she wasn't – she wasn't used to it at all. He'd lost count of the number of times she'd told him she didn't want kids or that she was useless with them.

"You don't have to tell us now," she said gently. "Especially if it was a bad dream."

Obviously she wasn't as useless as she thought, because Scarlett was snuggling close to her side as though she'd known her all her life.

"I'll put some coffee on." He had to do something to make himself feel useful. Standing up from the sofa, he felt the knot in his back grow worse. "Scarlett would you like anything?"

"No thank you."

"Are you sure?" Lou asked, "Remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Scarlett bit her lip like she was trying to think of something to say. Perhaps thinking of what she would like for breakfast. Stu hoped she wouldn't ask him to cook anything. If it was more than toast she would regret the decision. The last thing Christina needed right now was her house being burnt down.

They would move in with he and Lou, he decided, rubbing his chin. It would mean the loss of his privacy, and no more walking around naked on his days off, but he would live. Unless of course, Stephen moved them in with him...

As if Lou had read his mind she kicked him as said to Scarlett, "I'll make some waffles for us in a bit? How about some chocolate milk for now?"

Waffles? She never made waffles. Did she even know how to make waffles? Scarlett nodded though so Stu left them to it. Chocolate milk couldn't be too hard, now could it? Stepping into the unfamiliar kitchen, he scratched his chin and looked around. Baking products sat unused on the counter, a detailed sketching of a birthday cake pinned to the counter top by a bag of flour. He wondered if someone was expecting the cake today and made a mental note to find out from Christina then get in touch with them if necessary.

Once he'd got the coffee going, he checked the fridge, in search for chocolate milk. Surely he wasn't expected to mix it on his own? He found some in the door of the fridge and moved across to a find a cup to put it in. He opened cupboards eventually finding some tall glasses. He questioned himself, wondering if she was old enough to drink from a glass. Maybe she needed a straw?

"There are some plastic cups on the side, Stu. Do you need some help?" Lou's voice sounded from the living room as if she knew his dilemma. He turned around, only now noticing the cups. He rolled his eyes and crossed the floor, filling up a yellow cup half way with the chocolate milk. Did she need a top? He was fairly certain she could deal without one but what did he know of the rules of the house? Thinking of the couch, though, he decided to go without a top and suffer the consequences. Surely Christina had stain remover around, considering the existence of two little ones in the house.

Stu set the carton back in the fridge before heading back to the living room. Just as he reached the door, the sight he was greeted with stopped him in his tracks. Leaning against the door way, he watched Lou braid Scarlett's hair. She'd get to the end, undo it and start all over again. Scarlett's laugh reached him and he couldn't help but wonder what Lou had said to elicit such a reaction. Both seemed to have forgotten the stress for the moment and it made him smile.

Not wanting to disturb them, he quietly moved behind the back of the couch, squeezing Lou's shoulder as he brushed past. Scarlett was chatting away – something about unicorns – whilst Lou nodded her head, hanging off her every word. He stilled, picturing her with a child of their own. And himself, bringing chocolate milk and Lou's morning tea to the bedroom where his girls were snuggled close, discussing whatever females discussed first thing in the morning.

It was a nice image, he decided, still smiling. One he wanted in reality. Once Sophie was found and everything had calmed down he would gently approach the subject with her.

As he set the cup down on the coffee table, the telephone rang, stopping Scarlett midsentence. Immediately Lou rushed up, grabbing hold of it to see who was on the end.

"Hello?" Stu sat down on the couch next to Scarlett, listening closely as though he could hear the caller's words. "You have?"

She whipped around on the spot, hands wafting about to get his attention but he was already up off the couch and by her side. "Who is-" Her hand pushed against his mouth, shutting him up before he could get his question out.

"No, no thank you. I'll wake Christina up now, thank you so much again Ms. Archer." Stu pulled her hand off his mouth as she hung up the phone but she turned to Scarlett, "Sweetie, go wake your mom up. Ms. Archer thinks she's found Sophie at the park."

Scarlett squealed in delight, jumping up from the sofa to go rush upstairs. He could see the happiness there already, but he couldn't help but comment. "Thinks?"

"She doesn't want to scare her." Lou chewed on her lip nervously, crossing her arms across her chest. "So she hasn't gone up to her."

"But she doesn't know it's her?"

"Stu-"

"I'm just saying, what if you got Scarlett's hopes up?" He wondered where the hell his optimism had gone, especially when a new sadness appeared in her eyes. Shit. He opened his mouth to take back the words but remained silent when her broken whisper pierced the silence.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

"It's going to be alright." Stu pulled her into his embrace, held her close and heard her sigh. He continually tried to put himself in Christina's shoes but it was impossible to conjure up how she might be feeling, even just a little bit.

Lou looked up to him, hands clutching his shirt at his back as she said, "It was crazy last night Stu. The police, the neighbors, everyone hovering around wanting to find stuff out. She went out and searched for hours. And when she came back she just sat in the kitchen holding Sophie's teddy bear. I never saw her cry. I don't know how she held it together for so long."

"That's what mums do." Stu pressed a kiss to nose which she immediately wrinkled – one of her traits he'd come to love - before kissing him back on the lips.

"I'm so glad you're here." She smiled as he ran his hand through her hair, untangling the knots that had formed when she'd slept. He knew when she fussed about her looks or what to wear, it didn't really matter all that much. She was in yesterday's clothes, make-up still visible on her face and hair unkempt – yet she hadn't even noticed. The worries seemed to have aged her overnight. Shadows beneath her eyes only hinted at her sleepless hours. But to him she was just as beautiful as she had been the first time he'd seen her.

Still holding her close he kissed the top her head. She had no idea how glad he was the be there, not only for her, but Stephen and Christina too. Hearing rapid footsteps upstairs and the sound of a small, excited voice, he smiled. And Scarlett.

* * *

The small park was six blocks from home. Christina directed Stephen which way to go, fingers clasped together until her knuckles were white as she willed him to go faster. She had spoken to the detective in charge of the case and he had promised to meet her there. Scarlett's breathless words still in her mind, she closed her eyes and drew in a calming breath.

_"Mama! Mrs. Archer found Sophie!"_

Truly the greatest words she'd ever heard.

Tires squealed as Stephen turned into the park's gravel lot. Christina opened her eyes and saw the familiar sights, recalling the last time she had brought the girls here for an afternoon. They had spent hours enjoying the trail through dappled shade. The girls had played on the swings until the were breathless and nearly exhausted, and finally they had collapsed on a blanket and watched the sunset before trekking home. She'd promised they would go again soon. Two months later, she still hadn't taken them.

Had Sophie just wandered off to play on the swings?

She saw the detective first. He stood with a uniformed officer and Mrs. Archer, who was waving her thin hands in the air as she spoke. Where, Christina wondered as the car slowed, was Sophie? She had the door open before the car stopped completely and rushed towards her neighbor. The early morning air was cool on her bare arms but she paid no attention, grasping the detective's arm.

"Where is she?" she asked. Her voice was strained to her own ears as she stared up to the man that had promised her daughter would be returned to her safely.

"She's asleep at the top of the fort." Detective Allen's clothes and hair were rumpled, his face unshaven. Had he spent the night worrying as she had?

Mrs. Archer gently wrapped an arm around Christina. "We're sure she's asleep, dear. I wanted to wait for you to get here because I knew we'd frighten her if one of us went up there after her."

She nodded, looking at the elaborate swing set. Her knees buckled as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "I'll go," she whispered, taking one shaky step forward.

A warm hand clasped hers. Stephen. He remained silent as they crossed the damp grass to the play area, but having him at her side gave her enough strength to make each step. The fears still ran rampant in her mind. Her heart ached. What if she wasn't asleep? What if she wasn't okay? How had she gotten up there?

"Ah'll climb up an' hand her down." Stephen's hand released hers and cupped her shoulder briefly.

Christina held her breath as he climbed the ladder with ease. She could just hear his voice murmuring softly as he crawled through to the portion of the fort she couldn't see. Then, the sweetest sound she could think of broke through the stillness.

"Sheamy! What you doin' 'ere?"

She couldn't wait any longer. Climbing up, she met them at the top and crawled in to join them, dragging Sophie into her arms. "Oh my baby," she whispered between sobs, layering kisses over her face. Her hands roved over the small body to make sure she truly was unhurt, heart breaking all over again when she felt Sophie tremble.

"I okay, Mommy!" Sophie's voice was muffled against her shoulder. "Gots a boo-boo on my knee but I okay. An' I cold."

Christina pressed her face into her daughter's hair and continued to sob. Motherly indignation took over briefly, and she held the girl out at arm's length. Looking into sleepy eyes the same color as her own she was aware of Stephen's hand on her shoulder. "What on earth happened?"

Sophie yawned and pointed to her knee, which sported a nasty red scrape. Then, taking a deep breath, she began her tale. "I was lookin' out the window and saw a puppy. So cute! He was white an' fluffy like the blankie Nana made fo' me. An' I wanted it and went to follow it but it dis..dis... It went away! So I went to the puppy place on th' hill an' a dragon was there and he tol' me I had to go kill the trolls then I got on the big slide and wasn't scared! Went all the way down and got a boo-boo on my knee. Then I got cold and hid in the fort an' fell asleep. And when I woke up Sheamy was climbin' into the fort. Him rescued me from the trolls an' the dragon! So I had to kiss him like a princess because that's what a princess does. Right, Mommy? And I'm hungry so can I please have b'eakfas'?"

"Of course you can," Christina promised, mind spinning after the elaborate adventure. Drawing her close for another hug, she knew she wouldn't let her go willingly for a long time. Just the same, she held her away again. "Don't you ever do such a thing again!" she warned before crushing her to her chest once more. "You had everybody worried to death."

Sophie's reply was muffled once more, but her head nodded up and down furiously. Turning so she could breathe, she clutched the front of Christina's tank top. "I sowwy, Mommy."

"It's okay, sweetheart. All that matters now is you're okay." More kisses were pressed to the girl's face. Looking to Stephen, she managed a tremulous smile. "Thank you," she whispered as his arms came around her. He wrapped she and Sophie in a warm embrace and she didn't object when he reached between them to smooth a hand over Sophie's hair. His lips were cool against her forehead as he whispered words she couldn't understnd.

The next several moments were a blur. Before her brain could register all that had happened, she was listening to Sophie apologize to Detective Allen and uniformed officer for causing so much trouble. A sweatshirt was wrapped around the girl's body – Stephen's, she realized as the detective suggested she take Sophie to the Emergency Room to be checked over. Later he and his partner would come by to ask a few more questions.

Then she was in the backseat, still cradling Sophie close, as Stephen drove to the hospital. The heavy weight of a child in her arms, finally warm and safe, caused tears to flow down her cheeks. She knew she should have buckled her into a car seat but there was none. And she doubted she would have let go of her anyway. She marveled over the silk that was Sophie's blonde hair. The softness of her cheeks. The small hands that had a firm grip on her shirt. Christina inspected her daughter thoroughly, as she had the first time she'd been placed in her arms.

"My sweet little angel," she whispered, lightly tickling Sophie's stomach. She was rewarded with a giggle. It was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard.

"We goin' home?" Sophie asked, turning her head to look out the window.

Christina plucked a leaf from her daughter's hair and tenderly traced the outline of a scratch that was visible on her temple. "We will be soon. First we're going to the hospital to make sure your boo-boo is fixed up."

A morose sigh. "'Kay."

"We'll get you a snack there, okay? Maybe one of the nurses can find you a cup of juice."

"Then we go home? Be wit' Scar'ett? Want a lazy day, Mommy."

Christina couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled out of her mouth. Her daughter truly had no idea how much turmoil had occurred over the past twelve hours. Had it only been twelve? It had seemed a lifetime. "Then we'll go home. Scarlett can't wait to see you," she promised. "Stu and Lou are there. They can't wait to see you, either."

She should call them. Let them know that Sophie was okay and would be coming home soon. But she'd left the house without her phone. Or her purse. It was only because Stephen had stopped her that she'd remembered shoes.

"Stu who? Way? Why he d'ere?" Sophie struggled to sit up. "I no like him! He hurted my Sheamy!"

Christina heard a warm chuckle from the driver and looked up, meeting Stephen's eyes in the rearview mirror. And she stopped worrying. If Sophie was complaining, she was truly okay.

"Yeh want to call the house?" he asked.

"In a minute," she murmured as Sophie settled down again. For now she wanted to be alone with Sophie. Closing her eyes, she focused on the soft, warm breaths that brushed over her chest. Tucking the sweatshirt around them both, she began to hum a lullaby.

**A/N: SHE'S OKAY! SEE? :D Surely none of you truly thought I'd let anything terrible happen to little Sophie? **

**canadice, ThatGirl54, Jojo, Malabrigo, Keeper of Oz, Nikki, WitchKel14, katiefabe, Lou, Amber, LilOrchidJenny, Shamaness1171, foldintothenight, wibragirl, MistyKnight, and prettybaby69 – thank you all so much for the reviews! You really have no idea how much your insight and encouragement inspires me to write.**

**A special tip of the hat to Lou for her fabulous help with this chapter. I'm virtually sending you naked Ste and Stu for Valentine's Day. Be gentle with them (not). ;)**

**Is anyone still reading this part? Good. If everyone could go check out 'A Rose Between Two Thorns' I'd love them forever. It's the first fic I've ever co-written and is done with the amazingly talented, dirty minded, hilarious, and all around super Lou. :)**

**Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! **


	12. Chapter Twelve - Coming Home

Chapter Twelve – Coming Home

Wishing she hadn't promised to make waffles, Lou tied the pink flowery apron around her waist. She would have thought Christina to lean more towards industrial white. But she had learned in the few moments she'd spent in the kitchen that her friend's conservative nature did not extend to cooking accessories. She was still more than a little perturbed at the whimsical cow that was stationed next to the coffee maker. Quite certain it had mooed when she'd bumped it with her hand, she was now giving it a wide berth.

Leaning against the counter, Stu stared at her. She knew he was going to try and get a laugh out of this. When Christina had called telling them everything was fine and as a precaution they were taking Sophie to the hospital, it was like a huge black cloud had been lifted from over the house. Scarlett had bounds of energy, eagerly peeking out of the window every few minutes in hopes they'd be back already. She just hoped asking her to help make the waffles would keep her occupied, even if it was only for a little while.

"What? You've never seen me in an apron before?" Lou raised an eyebrow then rested her hands on her hips when her fiancé continued to watch her. The grin had been in place since she had entered the kitchen.

"Sure I have, remember that French maids outfit-"

"Stu!" Her cheeks flamed and she fought the urge to rush over to Scarlett and cover her ears. The girl seemed not to have noticed, giggling now as she perched on the edge of a stool at the counter. Giving him a quick glare, she cleared her throat. "Scarlett, where are the eggs?"

"I'll get'em." Scarlett hopped down and moved over to the fridge. She slid across the tiled floor, aided by her purple socks. "How many?"

"Two."

"I think somebody needs a lift." Stu pushed away from the counter and hoisted Scarlett into the air, big arms holding her tight while she plucked up two eggs. With her hand clutched over her heart, Lou smiled. Even after all these years he could impress her and make her swoon. He would be a wonderful father. She was sure. As he turned around she dropped her hand, trying not to make it obvious what she'd been thinking.

With Scarlett back on solid ground, she rushed over to deliver the eggs. Lou took them from her then ruffled her hair. "Thank you." Before she could ask if she wanted to help, she had dashed off for another slurp of chocolate milk.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Stu asked, hovering nearby.

"Beat the eggs into the mixture." Lou read the instructions off the back of the packet and shrugged. Couldn't be too hard. With the cracked eggs now in the bowl, she grabbed a wooden spoon and began beating away. That was until a cloud of mixture exploded from the bowl, covering her in the fine white substance.

"I don't think you're supposed to do that." Stu appeared over her shoulder, looking into the mixing bowl with a chuckle.

"Really? You don't think this is a good look for me?"

The giggling from behind made both Lou and Stu turn around. Scarlett had almost spilt her cup of chocolate milk as she giggled away. With the adults looking at her she went silent, but a snort of laughter escaped.

"You think this is funny, huh?" Lou stuck her hand on her hip and raised one eyebrow.

Scarlett nodded her head, her smile spread wide across her face. Lou grinned, turning around to the packet of mixture on the counter still.

"Let's see how you like it." She picked it up, sprinkling what was left onto her hand. When she turned around, Scarlett had hopped down from the stool and was hiding behind the central island of cabinets. All she could hear was a flurry of laughs and giggles.

Turning to Stu, she saw he was again leaning against the counter watching her. His black shirt was far too clean for her liking. She edged closer to him a sweet smile on her face.

"Don't think about it, Lou." Stu was already standing up straight, eyes narrowing as if he could deter her from having a little bit of fun. He knew better than that. Lou slowly pursed her lips and then blew onto her hand, sending the mixture flying over him.

"Oops." Dusting her hands against the apron, she was well aware of Scarlett's delighted giggles from behind the island.

The length Stu's silence was unnerving. Lou bit her lip, fighting a smile as Stu raised one eyebrow at her. He looked down to his chest, black shirt now covered in white powder, then back up to her. "You shouldn't have done that."

"It was an accident." Lou smiled and blew him a kiss, turning back to finish the mixture. Before she could get anywhere, Stu's big hands grasped onto her hips, spinning her around before he hoisted her into the air and slung her over his shoulder. "Oh my god, Stu!"

"It was an accident," he mimicked, his deep voice not able to match her softer tone.

Hands balled into fists, Lou slammed them into his back eventually having to grip onto his shirt as he started moving. Another round of giggles came from behind the island.

"Oh, you're going to get it too," he growled playfully.

"You can't catch me!" Scarlett giggled but all Lou could see were the flashes of Stu's feet as he dashed around kitchen chasing Scarlett.

"Oi, get back 'ere."

"Stu put me down!" Almost left breathless, Lou could hear Scarlett's giggles more than anything. That was until Stu came to an abrupt stop. He quickly pulled her down his body until her feet hit the floor. With her grip still on his shoulders, she felt his muscles tense and knew something was wrong.

"Who the hell are you?" It wasn't often Lou heard Stu's booming voice outside of the ring, but this was one of those times. She brushed her hair out of her face just in time to see him place his hand on Scarlett's shoulder, pulling her into his legs. She followed his gaze, jumping slightly at the sight of two strangers standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

She'd told Stu to lock the door. He must have, there was no way he'd risk it. As Stu's grip on her tightened, she wondered how they'd crept in unheard. They looked harmless. Until she recalled that sometimes the worst people were the ones no one ever suspected.

"Oi, I asked you a question." Stu was quickly gaining his in-ring persona as only a second had ticked past.

Before he could catch her, Scarlett burst from his grip. "Nana!"

"Bollocks." Stu muttered under his breath and Lou had to nudge him in his ribs. He needed some kind of filter otherwise Scarlett would be repeating his bad words in no time.

The man, with a very stern voice pronounced, "We're Bradley's parents. Daniel and Helen Fitzgerald." His lips curled as though he'd smelled something foul. "And who are you?"

"Well…" Lou looked up to Stu hoping for some help but his lips were tightly shut. That was probably for the best. "We're friends of this guy that Christina is kind of but not really seeing."

"Sheamy!" Scarlett announced to the room, receiving strange looks from her grandparents. "Sophie's favorite." Lou was shocked that even Scarlett had figured that one out. Was it that obvious to her? She wondered what she'd walked in on when she'd sent her up that morning. Maybe she should have gone up herself.

"I see." This from Helen, who was eyeing the room with a look of horror on her face.

"They'll be home soon." Lou shifted from one foot to the other, wondering how much information she should give.

"So, does Christina not have a babysitter? Someone who knows how to deal with children?" Helen stuck her nose in the air, ignoring Scarlett's excited chatter about Sophie being found. She would have literally been looking down at them if they both weren't so much taller.

Lou suddenly wish she was looking as polished as she usually was, instead she had one of Stu's 'Bare Knuckle Fighter' t-shirt on and over that one of his sweatshirts – both too big- and of course to top it off, remnants of waffle mixture. She had yet to take a brush to her hair or wash the make-up of her face – Scarlett had been her main priority, everything else coming second to that. She attempted to brush the dust from the sweatshirt but only succeeded in smearing it further.

"Really, she'll let just anyone watch Bradley's children," Helen sniffed.

"We're dealing just fine, actually." Lou was taken aback by the comment. If Christina didn't trust them, she certainly wouldn't have left Scarlett in their care.

"Do you have kids of your own?"

"Not yet." Stu slung his arm over Lou's shoulder, bringing her into his side. "But we're getting in plenty of practice on conception."

Helen pursed her lips tightly as Lou groaned over the statement. With one look, she appeared to judge Stu. Her nose wrinkled. "So, you're some kind of fighter? You look rough."

Lou's jaw dropped at the comment and she felt Stu stiffen beside her. What the hell had warranted her to say something like that? She glanced up to Stu, knowing it was taking everything he had not to come out with some witty sarcastic remark. His jaw was tense and the arm around her shoulder tightened to the point of pain. She placed a hand on his chest and smiled with pride. "Actually, he's a wrestler."

"Oh." Helen laughed, a bitter laugh that made Lou scowl. "And your real job?"

Still shocked, Lou didn't know what to say. She'd never experienced this kind of rudeness before - premeditated judgment. She decided to take it with a pinch of salt. Obviously they had been worried about Sophie and having to travel, that would make anyone cranky.

"I make more in a year than you have in your life." Stu spat out before she could offer the new guests something to drink and maybe win them over.

"I think this is this least of our worries right now, can I get either of you a drink while we wait for Christina to get back?" Lou slipped forward to stand in front of Stu but he yanked her back into his chest, arms surrounding her.

"Does Christina know you're here?" Stu asked, his tone less than friendly.

Daniel scoffed, eyebrows raised as if it was the most ludicrous question he'd ever heard, "Of course she does!"

"Why don't you go make yourself comfortable, and Scarlett you can tell your grandparents everything you've been doing at school." Lou had managed to free herself from Stu's hold, trying to get both Helen and Daniel away from Stu. She had no doubt he would swing out if further provoked.

Scarlett was already chatting away about school and painting she had done, all while pulling her nana through to the living room.

"Well, they're a fucking delight." Stu grunted, probably still knowing they were in ear shot.

"Can you call Ste and let Christina know they're here?" Lou was already back at Stu's side, hating so much that anyone would judge him so quickly. She knew he was pissed and trying to hide it. With a sigh she wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him, "They have no idea what they're talking about."

"If I call Ste, and warn him, then you better go entertain them." Stu had already pulled his phone from his pocket as he kissed the top of her head. With a pat on the back, he turned his attention to the screen. "Good luck because I'm not going in there with them."

"But—"

Stu kissed her on the lips as she looked up to him then said, "Just turn on the charm, like you would if you were getting out of a speeding ticket."

"Somehow, I don't think flashing my legs and cleavage will work. Since you're staying in here, you can finish the waffles." Lou took a deep breath and headed towards the living room. She just hoped Christina would be back soon – Stu had already reached his limit and she had no idea how long she could pretend to be nice for.

* * *

Wiping the screen of his phone with the hem of his shirt, Stephen turned to make his way back into the exam room. He paused in the doorway, a smile pulling at his lips as he watched the nurse place a bright bandage on Sophie's knee. Considering the amount of stress everyone had been through since the evening before, she was in good spirits. She'd told the triage nurse, the physician, and anyone that came in to look at her all about adventures.

They would be leaving soon. He'd promised Stu as much. There couldn't be much more they needed to do to the girl. She already sported a band-aid on her arm, where they'd drawn blood. Instead of being afraid or crying when the needle went in she had kept up a conversation with the technician. Then she had oohed and aahed over the tubes of blood, going so far as to pick one up for closer inspection.

Meanwhile, Stephen had remained in the chair in the corner, hand over his eyes and feeling sick to his stomach.

She'd been taken for x-rays. Just in case, the doctor had advised Christina. Stephen was forced to wait for their return, fearing they would discover a tiny fracture somewhere. But she'd returned, skipping into the room and into his arms. He'd held her, showing enthusiasm over the stickers she'd been given. She had quite the collection.

At some point he'd promised her a new sticker album. He had no idea what it was but her grin after he'd agreed to get her one had him determined to find one.

Another sticker – this one Tinker Bell he noticed – was given to her by the nurse. As he shuffled inside and began to wonder how he knew who Tinker Bell was, she promised the doctor would be in shortly.

Christina smiled, joining Sophie on the cot so they could go through the stickers she'd amassed since walking through the doors. Sinking into the chair nearby, he turned his phone around in his hand and cleared his throat.

"That was Stu," he announced. She looked over at him, the relief and happiness in her eyes making him smile.

"Is everything okay at home?" she asked.

"No, no, everything's fine," he assured her. "He just wanted to let yeh know that Bradley's parents arrived."

Her smile died. "That was quick."

"Yeh called 'em didn't yeh?"

"Yeah. They said they'd come this morning. I didn't think..." She blew out a breath and shook her head. In her lap, Sophie turned so she could arrange her stickers on the cot.

"Stu didn't sound too happy about them bein' there." A mild exaggeration. He would never repeat Stu's exact words** – **_Let Christina know that her bitch of a mother in-law is here_** – **to the woman in front of him. "They probably surprised him."

"Did he mention Scarlett?"

"Ah talked to her. She was makin' sure he didn't burn breakfast."

"Stu can cook?" Christina looked surprised.

"Don't tell anyone." Stephen leaned close to tuck a lock of hair behind Sophie's ear. "Yer sister said to tell yeh she loves yeh. She can't wait to see yeh."

"Me neither!" She held up her newest sticker and grinned. "Look, Sheamy! Tinker Bell!""

He accepted the sticker when she handed it over, looking down at the glittering wings of the popular character. "Is she a fairy?"

Sophie shook her head. "Tinker Bell's a pixie! She live in Pixie Hollow." Her lips pursed. "Don't know no fairies."

"Yeh haven't heard about the _sidhe_?" he asked, feigning a look of shock. "Has yer Mommy not told yeh about Tír na nÓg?"

Eyes wide, Sophie shook her head again. "Will you tell me, Sheamy? P'ease?"

"T'is a long story, lass." He intentionally thickened his Irish accent, rubbing his chin as she began to squirm. "But ah'll tell yeh one tale." She beamed, and his heart lurched. Recalling her excitement upon seeing him in the fort at the park, he smiled. The relief that she was alright - scraped knee aside - still overwhelmed him. He would never deny her anything. "Yeh have to sit still, though, and listen."

"Thank you," Christina whispered as the little girl moved into her lap and settled down.

Stephen gave a nod, waiting for them to get comfortable on the bed. Getting as comfortable as possible in the hard plastic chair, he cleared his throat. "Years ago-"

"Once 'pon time," Sophie interrupted. "All stories that Mommy tells me start wit' that."

"Forgive me. Ah'm a bit rusty," he explained. "Once upon a time, on the shores of Loch Lena, the great warrior Oisín was hunting with his father and many companions. They saw comin' towards them a maiden. She rode a majestic white steed and was dressed like a queen. She had a crown of gold, and her silk dress trailed the ground behind her. When she came near she looked to Oisín's father and told him she had come from far away and had at last found him. Her name was Niamh of the Golden Hair. Her father, Manannán mac Lir, was the kind of the Land of Youth, and she had traveled far to proclaim her love for Oisín."

"Was she pretty?" Sophie whispered.

"The most beautiful maiden Oisín had ever seen. He was under her spell in an instant, and when she asked if he would go with her to her father's land he said he would follow her to the world's end. He cared for no earthly thing. His only wish was to have the love of Niamh." Stephen lowered his voice when the girl yawned, certain she was near sleep. "She began to speak, and Oisín's father and the other hunters had never heard a sweeter sound. As she spoke a dreamy stillness settled over the land. No horse shaked his bit, nor a hound bay. Not even a breath of wind stirred in the forest trees."

"What did she say?" Christina prompted when he fell silent. In her arms, Sophie's eyes were starting to droop.

"'Delightful is the land beyond all dreams, fairer than anything your eyes have ever seen.'" Out the corner of his eye he saw someone in the door and straightened. The doctor entered, breaking the quiet and pulling Sophie from the edge of sleep. She whined, rubbing her eyes, and Christina pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm sure Sheamy will finish the story later," she promised before turning her attention to the doctor.

"Ah will," Stephen assured her, getting to his feet.

The next moments passed in a blur. Sophie was given a clean bill of health, and if anything showed up on the blood screenings the hospital would contact Christina immediately. The doctor suggested she be taken home, fed, and put to bed for plenty of rest. Stephen busied himself gathering the stickers from the bed, carefully tucking them into his pocket for safekeeping.

Christina refused to let go of her daughter, balancing her on one hip as the nurse came to hand over the release papers. When it was time to go he took the papers for her, resting a hand on the small of her back to guide her outside. The sun had whisked away the chill that had been in the air when they'd rushed to the park that morning, but Sophie remained wrapped in his sweatshirt.

Sophie kept up a lively monologue on the way home, bouncing from subject to subject so quickly that Stephen was lost within two minutes. His gaze kept flickering to the rearview mirror, just to reassure himself that she was truly okay. Exhaustion began to set in and he was reminded that he'd only managed a few minutes of sleep before Scarlett had burst in with the news Sophie had been found. As soon as he was able he would make use of the nearest bed, he decided as he parked in front of the house. Sophie had fallen asleep mid-sentence, head nestled on Christina's chest.

He opened the door for Christina, helping her out of the backseat with a hand on her arm. Expecting her to rush inside and hold onto both her girls he was surprised when she turned and wrapped her free arm around him.

"Thank you." Her voice was muffled against his chest and he brought both arms around her and Sophie, drawing them in close. Between them, the girl wriggled but remained asleep, thumb sliding into her mouth.

"Yeh okay now?" he asked softly. Of their own accord his lips found the top of her head, then her forehead when she looked up at him. She gave him a shaky nod, a lone tear slipping down her cheek. "Yeh sure?"

"Positive." He felt her hand clutch his shirt and instinctively tightened his grip on them. "Really, Stephen, thank you. Without you—"

"Shh. She would have been found just the same." He wanted to hold on forever but let his arms loosen so she could pull away.

She didn't. "I would have gone crazy if you hadn't come when you did. You came straight here without being asked. And.." Another tear slipped free and she leaned against his palm when he reached to brush it away. "Not many men would have done that. I want you to know how grateful I am."

"Christina," he began, letting his thumb caress her cheek. "Ah-"

"MAMA!"

Scarlett's delighted shriek stole her attention. Releasing her, Stephen watched Christina rush up the walk. She met her oldest daughter halfway, dropping to her knees to sweep her into her embrace. His heart ached as he looked on, feeling as though he were invading on a private moment. Sophie was waking up, and soon her excited voice joined into the excited chatter and professions of love.

Following at a more sedate pace, he hesitated as he neared them. Stu was waiting at the door, a strange mixture of annoyance and happiness wreaking havoc with his facial expression. Stephen ran a hand through his hair as Christina slowly got to her feet. Moving forward to lend a hand if needed, he grunted when a pair of small, strong arms wrapped around his legs.

Scarlett hugged tight, and when she looked up at him she was grinning from ear to ear. "Thank you for bringing my sister home."

**A/N: Thank you to cenachick1981, Canadice, MistyKnight, WitchKel14, ThatGirl54, LilOrchidJenny, Nikki, Blackhat, Jojo, Keeper of Oz, charmedbyortonbarrett, Lou, Amber, Shamaness1171, and prettybaby69 for the wonderful reviews. Love you all!**


	13. Chapter Thirteen - Waiting

Chapter Thirteen - Waiting

He had expected to get into the house and watch Christina cuddle both of her girls, but Stephen was pushed aside by Lou. She ushered Christina and the girls into the living room, talking a mile a minute, before he could even close the door behind him. Watching the females on the couch, he stepped forward to join them. He'd promised Sophie he would finish the tale of Oisín and Niamh. He hoped to get it finished before he forgot where he'd left off.

He nearly tripped over a bag on the floor. Stepping back, he glanced down to see a small suitcase. It wasn't his. Or Stu's. And he knew Lou hadn't gone home to pack a bag.

"You're lucky. You've just missed them," Stu announced from the door leading to the kitchen.

Stephen looked over and nudged the bag out of the way. "Missed who?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald." His friend made a face. "Didn't like the look of Lou's waffles." Stu motioned for him to follow and turned back towards the kitchen.

With a longing glance at the living room, Stephen went after Stu. "What's wrong wit' Lou's waffles?"

"They're not cooked yet for one thing."

"Ah didn't even know she could cook waffles," Stephen muttered, stepping over a swept-up pile of what looked to be flour. Looking around the kitchen he saw dishes piled in the sink and on the counter. More flour was on the counter, and a cup of chocolate milk had been overturned. "Christ."

"I've been trying to clean. Not easy considering I wanted to go in there and wring their fucking necks." Stu pulled a mixing bowl close and peered inside before turning to fiddle with the waffle iron next to the stove.

"What did they do?"

"What didn't they do?" Stu grunted as his gaze scanned the room again, no doubt annoyed with the mess made.

"That bad?" Stephen lowered his voice fearing that Christina may overhear him. He wasn't sure how she felt about them – the last thing she needed right now was for him to offend or upset her.

Stephen shoved his hands back into his pockets, trying to fight the urge to rush back to Christina.

"Let me tell you, if Lou's parents were like that, I wouldn't be marrying her."

"Yeh probably scared them," Stephen offered, certain Bradley's parents couldn't be so bad. Christina had never mentioned them to him and aside from their brief words about them arriving the subject hadn't come up again.

"They're the ones that just walked in and acted like Lou and I were dog shit they'd stepped in." Stu raised the lid of the waffle iron. Without so much as looking he ladled batter, nodding in satisfaction when it sizzled. "Really, mate, they're asses."

"They can't be that bad." Stephen pulled several paper towels from the roll and began clearing the spilled chocolate milk. "Ah smell bacon."

"It's in the oven staying warm. Get a plate for me." Stu closed the lid then turned to open the dishwasher. "I can't wait to go home and get some real food."

Holding the large plate he'd found, Stephen watched the man start cramming dishes into the rack. He was about to comment on his friend's newly found domesticity but decided to remain quiet on the subject. "Ah'm sure me gran has a box of food ready for me already. She thinks ah don' eat enough."

A bark of laughter came from Stu, who'd turned to check the waffles. "She's obviously never watched you eat."

"Yeh and Lou don't have to stay here now." Stephen wondered what he could do to help with breakfast, but Stu surprisingly seemed to have it all under control.

"Trying to get Christina on her own, huh?" Stu grinned before he shouted, "Scarlett, breakfast is almost done."

"No, it's just that Christina is my-" Stephen stopped then Stu frowned at him as he dished a few rashers of bacon onto a plate. His what? He rubbed his chin, trying to find the words but didn't have anything to finish the sentence. Maybe he would in the future.

"I understand mate, I don't want to be here when those old bags get back anyway."

"What old bags?" Both Stu and Stephen jumped at the sound of Scarlett behind them.

"Lou's going to bring some old handbags," Stu answered quickly. His smile was warm as he pushed the plate into Stephen's hand. "Get Scarlett some butter and syrup."

"Handbags?" Scarlett's nose wrinkled in confusion.

Stephen noticed the gesture. It was something Lou did often, but he'd seen Christina do it as well. Usually when she was deep in thought. He cleared his throat, balancing the plate on one hand as he found the butter and syrup.

"You said you like to play dress up. Lou thought you'd like some of her older ones to use. Is your sister hungry?" Stu changed the subject so smoothly Scarlett was none the wiser. Stephen was impressed.

"Always," Scarlett laughed. Then she turned to the door. "Sophie! Waffles!"

There was a whoop of excitement, then the happy sound of little feet. Stephen glanced up just in time to see the girl scamper into the room. Christina was right behind her. The worry still etched in her face, and he wondered how long it would be before the lines disappeared. He took a step towards her, intent on reassuring her in some small way, but he was diverted by Scarlett taking the syrup from him.

In the confusion of the next several moments he kept glancing to her, relieved when he saw her seated at the table with Sophie in her lap. The child was all smiles as she sucked milk through the silly straw that Stu had put into her cup. Christina seemed content to just hold her, one hand smoothing over the tousled blonde curls.

"Here." Stu pushed a plate into Stephen's hands. "They're for Sophie."

Stephen glanced down at the two waffles that had been cut into hearts. When he looked over at his friend, the man merely shrugged.

"Scarlett told me she likes having them cut into shapes. I figured… Stop looking at me like that and get them to her before they're cold." Stu turned back to the waffle iron, muttering under his breath that he needed to make more mix.

"Aww, Stu." Lou practically cooed the words as Stephen put the plate in front of Sophie. Looking up from helping Scarlett cut her waffles, she beamed at her fiancé. "You perfect man. Can I have heart-shaped ones too?"

"As soon as I make Christina's."

"Thank you, Stu," Sophie called before turning her big eyes on Stephen. "We share?"

"Yeh don' have to, lass," he promised, moving the butter and syrup into Christina's reach.

"But…" She sighed then reached for his arm. "I wanna share my heart with you."

"Ah'll just get a plate," he murmured.

"D'is one for Mommy, d'is for Sheamy," Sophie announced as Stu brought the warm plate of bacon to the table.

Stephen didn't bother hiding his grin while getting plates and forks. He took one of each for himself and handed the rest over to Stu before taking the seat next to Christina. Sophie insisted on pouring the syrup over his half of the heart, giggling when her mother told her she'd put too much.

The atmosphere in the kitchen was warm and pleasant as they ate. Stu brought more waffles to the table, this time all heart-shaped, and waved off Christina and Lou's gushing compliments on his cooking. There were requests for more butter, more syrup, amid the random chatter and laughter.

As soon as his plate was empty, Stu pushed back his chair and stood. "We hate to eat and run, but we should probably get going."

"We should?" Lou repeated, her eyes widening in surprise when he took her plate. There was a quick look between them and then she nodded. "Oh, yes. We really should."

"I'll start washing up while you get dressed."

Stephen heard the underlying command – _Hurry the hell up so we can go._ As Lou got up and headed for the living room, he draped his arm over the back of Christina's chair and smiled at Sophie. "How yeh feelin'?"

"Full." She patted her stomach then turned in her mother's lap. "S'eepy."

"Let Mommy get the dishes up then we'll go to bed," Christina promised.

"Go on up, ah'll take care of it." Stephen rubbed her shoulder then stood, reaching to pull back her chair.

"You've done so much, really, I—"

"I promise to make sure he doesn't break anything," Stu called from his place next to the sink. He looked over as though knowing she was about to argue. "It's not every day I help in the kitchen, Christina. Best take advantage while you can."

"Well, if you insist," she sighed. Sophie on her hip, she looked to Stephen. "Come upstairs when you're done. She'll want kisses and the rest of the story."

"Not a story. T'is a legend," he corrected, walking her to the foyer. Scarlett trailed behind, looking from her mother to Stu then back again. She muttered something about her cup then darted back into the kitchen. "Ah'll be up soon."

"I'll be waiting," she whispered. When Sophie giggled her cheeks flushed. "We'll be waiting."

He knew he should just laugh and go back to the kitchen, but he stayed. He knew that he should kiss Sophie on the cheek and promise again that he'd be right up, but somehow his arms pulled mother and daughter close. The girl between them hindered his original objective. Not that he cared. Christina's lips tasted of butter and syrup and he found he liked the flavor better on her than he had on his waffles. Her hand gripped the front of his shirt, keeping him close. When he broke the kiss and began to pull away she sighed.

He was sorely tempted to leave Stu with the dishes when he saw the warmth in her eyes.

"Good heavens, Christina, can't you control yourself in front of the child?"

Christina tensed at the words, spoken in a crisp voice that made Stephen's back straighten. He turned to the source and saw the older couple standing just inside the door.

"Nana!" Sophie called. "D'ey just kissin'."

"Shh." Christina pressed a kiss to Sophie's cheek. Her smile was forced as she greeted them. Stephen chalked it up to the stress and exhaustion. Sophie seemed happy to see her grandparents, running towards them with her usual nonstop chatter.

He frowned when all they did was pat her on the head. No comments regarding their happiness that she was alright. No warm embraces and grateful kisses. She didn't appear to notice their detachment, though, showing off the bandage on her knee.

The man looked to Stephen. "And you are?"

"Sheamy!" This from Sophie, who'd come back to Christina.

"Oh, yes. Mama's favorite, we were told."

Next to him, Christina sighed. She made the introductions, explaining that his ring name was Sheamus and that Sophie was a big fan.

Helen made a look of distaste. "Are you always so close to your fans?"

"Ah… No," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I see. I suppose the surly Englishman we met earlier is your friend. Birds of a feather," she sniffed.

What the hell did that mean? Stephen glanced over when Scarlett came skipping out of the kitchen. They turned their attention to her, Helen chastising her for running in the house.

"I'm going to take Sophie up for a nap." Christina held the girl close to her chest, silently defying anyone to change her plans. "You're welcome to the guest room. I'm sure you're tired after your trip."

"Of course." Helen approached the stairs, pushing between Stephen and Christina. Daniel lifted the bag that had been in the middle of the floor and followed her, not so much as nodding in anyone's direction.

Christina gave Stephen a helpless expression before turning to go upstairs with the girls.

"Oh, we missed them? Too bad," Lou muttered as she came out of the living room. She'd pulled on a pair of jeans and brushed her hair into a messy ponytail. Purse dangling from one arm, she slipped her sunglasses on. "Tell Christina to call or text if she needs anything. Seriously, anything. Stu!"

"Yeh leavin' then?" Stephen asked, turning from the stairs when he heard the thump of the master bedroom door closing.

"If we stay, he'll end up insulting them and Christina doesn't need that stress right now." Lou smiled, dropping her purse on top of Stu's rolling suitcase. "By the way, thanks for coming so quickly. She would have gone crazy without you."

"Ah'd have gone crazy if ah hadn't come," he answered truthfully. Putting his arm around her shoulders he pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thank yeh for bein' here for her."

"She's become my best friend, Ste. And the girls are… Well you know," she sighed. Her arms slipped around his waist and squeezed.

"Ah know." He offered another kiss, grunting when he was slapped on the back with a towel.

"The dishes are all yours, mate." Stu threw the towel over Stephen's shoulder. "I'll be taking my fiancée back now, thank you."

"Good, she's startin' to smell." Stephen avoided Lou's half-hearted punch. "See yeh later."

* * *

"I must have left the air on, it's cold in here." Lou shivered and dropped her keys into her purse as she entered the house. "I'll turn it up a little and fix some tea."

Stu hummed a response while dropping his luggage on the floor. Rolling his shoulders to rid them of the ache, he watched her cross to the thermostat panel next to the stairs. Her ridiculously high heels clicked on the flooring, drawing his attention to her long legs. The house didn't seem cold to him. In fact, it was rather warm. He kicked the door shut behind him and advanced.

Her heavy purse landed with a thud when his hands caught her waist. "Stu," she gasped.

"I don't want it turned up," he whispered in her ear, one hand pushing beneath the shirts she wore. Ignoring the sound of her things rolling across the floor he smoothed his palm over her stomach, pressing his lips to her jaw. "And I don't want tea."

"What do you want?" she asked casually, hands resting on the arm around her waist.

"You." She wasn't wearing a bra. Turned on more than he thought he would be by that fact, he cupped one breast before rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

"Well." Lou wriggled closer to him, pushing her chest out a bit. "Here I am."

"So you are." He gave her nipple a harsh squeeze then released, dropping his hand to her hip. "Take off the shirts."

They hit the floor together and he sighed. One gentle touch to her shoulder and she bent forward, spreading her hands on the wall. A snarky comment about having her trained came to mind but he kept it to himself, trailing the tip of his finger down her spine. When he reached the waistband of her jeans he traced it, moving his hand forward to pop open the brass button.

"Don't move," he warned. She glanced back at him, a knowing smirk pulling at her lips, and he tilted his head.

"Sorry," she whispered, looking forward and then down at the floor. A buzzing sound came from the direction of her purse and she wiggled her hips. "Can I check my phone?"

His fingers nudged inside her jeans, other hand pushing them down over her hips. "Do you really want to right now?"

Her back arched when his fingers slid over the silk of her panties. "N-no."

His fingers stilled. "No what?"

"No, sir."

"Good girl." He wanted to draw it out, to bring her to the point she was begging him. But once he'd pushed her panties down to her thighs he lost all control. Even when submissive, she held all the power. Cursing under his breath he cupped her from behind. The heat of her brought forth a growl and when his middle finger brushed over her clit she trembled. "Hold still."

He could hear her uneven breathing as he tore his shirt over his head. The cushion of her ass pressed tighter against his crotch and he was momentarily diverted by the sight. Finger returning to her clit, he worked it in slow circles as he unzipped his jeans.

"Yes," she cried as he entered her. The force of his initial thrust sent her forward; she turned her head to the side, pressing her cheek to the wall. Her nails scraped the wallpaper.

Stu leaned against her, pressing a series of kisses over her shoulder to her neck. "I love you," he whispered, hands sliding up her arms. She struggled just enough when he pulled them back, pinning her hands to the small of her back.

"Love you too," she panted.

"Thought you might." Gripping her wrists in one hand, he let the other slide over her hip. He nipped at her earlobe, keeping still inside her until he heard her feet shuffling on the floor.

"Stu," she whined, throwing her head back.

"What do you want?" he asked softly. His fingers slid over her clit, a smirk forming on his lips when she trembled again. "Didn't I tell you to keep still?"

"I want you to fuck me." Her voice was clear, steady, no hint of the desire he could feel running through her.

"Good, because I'm going to."

Her hands twisted, fingers clutching at his wrist as he began to withdraw. He glanced down to see where their bodies joined. Enjoying the power he held over her in that moment, he bit down on her shoulder. Just as her scream pierced the air he slammed his cock deep inside her.

Despite being pinned to the wall, Lou managed to move. Her fingernails scraped at his skin, her ass bounced deliciously against him. With each thrust she clenched around him. She shrieked, she whimpered, she released breathy moans that drove him closer and closer to the edge of sanity. Stu dropped his forehead to her shoulder, releasing her wrists so he could wrap his arms around her waist.

She reached back, cradling the back of his head. When she turned her head to brush her lips over his cheek he felt it. The tiny shiver down her spine, immediately followed by her entire body going taut. His name passed her lips in an impassioned whisper, her grip on his head tightened.

With one swift surge of his hips he held her against the wall, pressing his face to her neck as her body shook with the force of her orgasm. She moaned, a deep, heavy sound that, coupled with she clenched and released his cock, caused a familiar tug in the pit of his belly. Still aware of her trembling, he began to move. Harder and faster, until came hard. Groaning her name, Stu pulled her back against him. His hands caressed her as they both gave sighs of delight.

Several moments passed before he deemed her capable of standing on her own. When he stepped back she turned to face him, face and eyes glowing. She draped her arms around his neck and pulled until he leaned down for her kiss.

"What brought that on?" she whispered, fingers sweeping over his shoulders.

"You're impossible to resist," he offered with a shrug. "And we both needed to relive some stress, didn't we?"

"True." She gave him another kiss then let him go.

"Fucking cold in here," he grumbled, reaching behind her to raise the temperature of the thermostat. She swatted him on the arm. Grinning, he kissed her furrowed brow then turned to get his shirt off the floor.

"Ugh, what a mess."

Stu pulled his shirt on, glancing at the things scattered across the floor. He could only recognize a few of the items. Lipstick. A hairbrush. The wallet he'd given her for Christmas. Her phone had nearly made it to the kitchen. And though she was forever claiming to have none, at least half a dozen pens were in sight.

Letting his gaze slide over to her, he smirked at the picture she made. Hair a mess, leaning against the wall, she had yet to put a shirt on or pull up her jeans. Her panties were still tangled at her thighs. She gathered her hair behind her head, twisting it into a loose bun, and he watched her bare breasts sway with the movements.

She pushed away from the wall with a small groan, stepping out of her high heels. Foot on the bottom stair, Stu watched with interest as she pushed her jeans and panties down, leaving them in a heap as she went after her phone. Though he'd just had her, he wanted her again.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, no, I've got it. I know you're exhausted, go on up and get some sleep." She never took her eyes off her phone as she began pushing things back into her purse.

"You're coming up right?"

"In a minute."

He was halfway up when she called to him. Fighting a yawn he turned to find her still staring at her screen. "Yeah?"

"Christina wants to take us out to dinner tomorrow night. As a way of thanking us for our help." She finally looked up, smiling sweetly.

"Sounds grand, but she doesn't have to thank us."

"I know. But she wants to." Lou looked down at her phone again. "Well?"

"Sure thing." He turned and continued up, his thoughts on the sleep he would try to get when he heard her light footsteps on the stairs. "Who else is going?"

"Oh, you know." She followed him into the bedroom, making a beeline for the bed. It was littered with magazines. The covers were rumpled, and his pillows had been displaced. A usual occurrence when he went on the road without her. "Ste. The girls."

Stu nodded. Stripping down to nothing, he waited or her to gather the magazines from his side of the bed before crawling in. Within moments she slid in next to him, phone still in hand. "Sounds nice, love," he murmured.

"Bradley's parents too."

He opened one eye, suddenly not as tired as he'd thought. "What?"

Her expression was angelic. "I said, 'get some sleep, boo.'"

"Bullshit."

"'I'm ready for round two?'" she offered, tossing her phone aside and pushing her body closer to his.

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that tactic wouldn't work. But she was a skilled lover, even more so because she knew all the little places to touch him that made him forget everything. Her lips were sweet, her hands soft as satin as she kissed and stroked him to full readiness. With a devious glint in her eye, she blew him a kiss and disappeared beneath the covers.

His first thought as he stared at the ceiling was that one day, he wouldn't give in so easily. Then her lips and tongue sent him into oblivion and he realized he didn't mind at all.

**A/N: Thank you WitchKel14, Nikki, floamer, Jojo, Lou, LilOrchidJenny, ghunter182003, Amber, ThatGirl54, Keeper of Oz, MistyKnight, Shamaness1171, xKimberly12x, prettybaby69, and VolcomStoneBabe for the wonderful reviews! **


	14. Chapter Fourteen - Interruptions

Chapter Fourteen - Interruptions

"I'm hungry." Stephen overheard Stu mutter under his breath to Lou. He couldn't deny his stomach had rumbled a few times too.

"Eat some bread." Lou uttered back, refolding a napkin in her hand.

Looking towards Sophie and Scarlett, he wondered if they should order something for them. Scarlett furiously rubbed her crayon onto the outlined picture. Next to her, Sophie continued to pinch Scarlett's crayons, doing a grand job of not staying in the lines. They brought a smile to his face.

Christina sighed once again, shoving her phone into her purse. "I can't believe they're doing this."

Slinging his arm across the back of her chair, he squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Ah'm sure they have their reasons."

"They better." Stu grumbled, "because they're getting an earful if they even get here."

"Stu, behave." Lou smiled then turned to Christina whilst placing her hand on top of Stu's which was flat on the table. "I'll make sure he doesn't do or say anything out of line."

"You can say anything you want. I don't think I care anymore." Christina smiled after her words.

"Excellent." Stu grinned back and Stephen rolled his eyes. Christina was just mad they were late, that was all. She'd be fine once they arrived.

"I would say they never do this but…" Christina sighed, fingers drumming the table. "They do it a lot."

"Ah'm sure they'll be here soon," Stephen attempted to soothe, giving her shoulder another squeeze.

"If they're not here in five minutes we'll go ahead and order," she announced. "The girls are going to be late getting to bed as it is."

"Mommy," Sophie called. "Wanna see the fishies."

Stephen glanced over to the large aquarium that served as a border between the entryway and the seating area. It was filled with a variety of exotic fish, none of which he could name. The girls had been glued to it as they'd waited for the table, their breaths fogging the glass.

"I'll take you." Stu was already pushing his chair back. "I need to stretch my legs anyway."

"Why?" Sophie tossed crayons – hers and her sister's – onto the table. "Ain't d'ey long enough already?"

"Aren't," Christina corrected. She rested her hands on the table to push back her chair. "I should go, too."

"We'll be fine." Stu plucked Sophie out of her chair and settled her on one hip. "You'll be able to see us the entire time."

Stephen could feel the war of emotions in Christina as she looked from her daughters to Stu. He decided it best to keep his mouth shut on the matter. Considering what had happened, it was a wonder she'd let the child sit in her own chair. He gently rubbed her shoulder as a show of support.

"Well…" She toyed with the edge of her napkin, looking from Stu to the aquarium and back again. Her shoulders rose as she drew in a deep breath and Stephen knew it took every ounce of strength for her to utter the next word. "Alright."

"Me, too," Scarlett announced, dropping her crayon and pushing back her chair. The water glasses shook as she shoved the chair back into place. Lou stood as well, giving Christina an understanding smile as she took Scarlett's hand.

"I know I can trust Stu," Christina said while watching the group cross to the aquarium. "I do trust him. And Lou. It's just…" She gave a quick shrug, fingers tapping anxiously on the table.

"Ah know," Stephen murmured. She'd voiced her fears in the early morning hours, when neither had been able to sleep. All he had been able to do was hold her, heart aching, as she told him her worst fears for her daughters. She had come so close to losing Sophie and was now filled with thoughts of what could have happened. All the horrible types of people that could have grabbed the girl when she'd been wandering the streets, and the terrible things they would have been able to do to her. He didn't blame her; his own mind had been filled with the same thoughts.

"I'll get over it," she announced, voice clear and strong. "At least, I'll get over worrying when she's with someone I trust." Taking a deep breath, she turned in her seat so her back was to Stu, Lou, and the girls.

"Yeh don' have to be brave for my sake."

"I'm not. I'm doing it for myself." She reached for her glass of water. "And for the girls. I can't expect them to grow up well-rounded if I'm hovering over them all the time. They need to be able to spread their wings a little bit, right?"

"No' yet," Stephen promised. "They'll need yeh hoverin' over them for a few years."

"What happens when they don't?"

Stephen grinned, viewing her worries as sign of a wonderful mother. "By then yeh'll have a few more wee ones that will need yeh."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself, there, Mr. Farrelly," she teased. "Hypothetically speaking, how many am I going to have?"

"At least three," he mused, resting his elbow on the table so he could lean closer. Her soft laugh warmed him and he wasn't hesitant to offer a quick kiss. Her hand caught his shoulder, though, and kept him close as she deepened the kiss, her thumb lightly stroking the side of his neck.

"Just so you know, I'm a complete mess when I'm pregnant," she warned after breaking the kiss. Setting down her glass she smiled and kissed him again.

"Ah doubt that," he whispered, cupping the back of her head to drag her closer for another kiss.

"Stephen," she breathed, resting her forehead against his. "I want you to—"

"I would apologize for being late, but I see you've found a way to occupy yourself."

Christina's body tensed to the point Stephen was surprised she could remain upright. He clearly heard the muttered curses as she looked to Helen, who'd approached when they were distracted. Then, turning back to him, she leaned close, lips next to his ear. "I want you to fuck me on the table. But," she added before he could respond, "I know that's illegal so I'll settle for staying the night with you."

Good manners would have dictated that he stood to greet the newcomers but Stephen remain seated, certain that the erection Christina's words created would be a greater sin. They merely gave him a look before sitting at the other side of the table. Wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt, he turned in his seat and offered his hand to Daniel. The shake he received was perfunctory at best.

Lou came back with the girls, Stu trailing behind them with a scowl set on his face. Sophie and Scarlett were subdued while greeting their grandparents, their hugs brief before they slipped into their seats.

"Have you ordered yet?" Helen inquired, opening her menu.

"We thought it best to wait for you," Christina explained.

Noisily breaking a breadstick, Stu banged one elbow onto the table. "Not that we had a choice in the matter," he groused.

"I'm sorry our lateness detained your meal," the older woman said in a crisp tone. "Perhaps you would have been better off eating at home?"

"I'd have been better off eating Lou's pussy while I waited," Stu muttered just loud enough for Christina to hear.

Judging from the look on Helen's face, she'd heard – or guessed – what he'd said. Christina couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped her. It was so rare to see her mother-in-law speechless. Signaling for the waiter, she was relieved when Sophie brought her menu over to point out what she wanted.

They would make it through dinner, she decided, but whether or not they made it through without Stu killing someone remained to be seen.

* * *

"What's d'at?" Sophie asked as the waiter placed the bottle in front of Stephen.

"It's wine, sweetheart." Christina raised her own glass for a sip.

"It looks like juice. Does it taste like juice? I want some. Can I have some?" Sophie paused a beat. "P'ease?"

"If it's alright with your mum," Stu answered before anyone else could.

Christina pressed her lips together as the girl slid from her chair and rushed to Stu, clambering into his lap. There was such a look of hope on her face that she couldn't possibly say no. "Just one little sip."

"Christina!"

"Oh, lighten up, Danny Boy," Stu bellowed, holding up his wine glass for Sophie.

"May I have a sip too, Mama?" Scarlett was eyeing Lou's glass warily.

"Really, Christina—"

"One little sip isn't going to turn them into raging alcoholics, Helen," Christina bit off, giving a nod of assent to her oldest daughter.

"Oi! One sip!" Stu yelped, pulling the glass from Sophie's lips.

Cheeks full, the little girl wrinkled her nose in disgust. Then, leaning forward, she spat the mouthful of wine back into the glass. Stu's face was one of revulsion as he pushed the glass onto the table. "Bleah!" she gagged, scrubbing her lips with the back of her hand. "Dat's gross! Why d'ere no sugar?! Put sugar in it, Way!"

"And ruin the integrity of the wine?" he scoffed, using his napkin to wipe her mouth. "Next time, swallow like a good girl—"

"Stu," his fiancé groaned.

He smirked and turned his attention to Sophie. "I'm merely telling you not to waste the wine. Especially the good stuff. Here, drink some water."

"Yuck," Sophie grumbled, accepting the glass he handed her. After several gulps, she glared at him. "It not helping!"

"Try some juice," Christina offered. Once Sophie had settled back in Stu's lap and was sipping her apple juice, she breathed a sigh of relief and looked to Scarlett. "What did you think?"

"It's not that bad." Scarlett primly handed the glass back to Lou. "I'd like it better if it were cold."

"Oohh, when you're old enough we'll have cocktails," Lou suggested. "Next time you're over at the house I'll make mock-tails for you!"

"I want one too," Sophie requested, turning to her mother. "Mommy, I want a tail cock!"

"For fuck's sake," Stu hissed under his breath, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Now that you've turned our granddaughters into lushes, Christina, can we order dessert?" Helen snapped.

"Lighten up, Nana," Sophie groaned.

Deciding it best to say nothing, Christina gulped down the rest of her wine. She felt a warm hand on her knee and looked to Stephen, smiling wryly. "What are you going to get?"

She should have known, but the tension around the table had taken her mind from their plans for the rest of the evening. He leaned in close, a smirk pulling at his lips that caused her stomach to flutter. The hand on her knee slid up, his fingers stroking just beneath the hem of her dress. Lips close to her ear, he whispered, "Ah'd rather eat you for dessert."

"Then you'll have to wait," she managed, squeezing her thighs together. An ache had started in the pit of her belly. Covering his hand with hers, she traced the length of his thumb, shivering when he leaned back into his seat.

Next to her, Stu was poring over the dessert menu, naming off the myriad of delicacies for Sophie's benefit. Christina heard Helen order a small cup of fruit salad and coffee. Daniel opted for just coffee. Lou, who was sharing with Scarlett, ordered a double serving of a hot fudge sundae. When the waiter turned to Stu, Sophie grinned, the fiasco with the wine forgotten.

"We'd like the chocolate mouse," she announced, enunciating each word slowly.

"Mousse," Stu corrected.

"It's not a widdle mousie?" she asked, looking relieved. "It's a big ol' ugly thing with horns?"

"Not a moose," Christina laughed. "Mousse. It's like pudding."

"Oh! Thank goodness."

Christina sipped more wine as they waited for dessert, trying several more times to start a conversation with her in-laws. Instead of expanding on the topics, though, Helen and Daniel merely gave clipped answers, causing the talk to stall. Exceedingly grateful when the waiter returned, she gouged her fork into the key lime pie she'd ordered. Stephen's hand remained on her thigh, caressing gently until she relaxed.

He seemed to inch further up her thigh every few moments, obviously adventurous due to the tablecloth that concealed what he was doing. She reached to finish the last of her wine, only to clutch the stem of the glass when his finger began to make slow circles over her flesh.

Pie forgotten, she took a small sip of her wine, glancing over to see him push the remainder of his strawberry cake towards Lou. He seemed unaffected by what he was doing to her. She considered reciprocating his touches but knew once she started she wouldn't be able to stop. Smiling when he leaned to refill her glass, she covered his hand with hers.

"It's a little warm in here," she murmured.

Stephen chuckled, giving her thigh a squeeze. "Is it? Ah hadn't noticed."

"Figures," she muttered into her glass. Then, when he laughed, she shot him a look. "Behave."

"Trust me, ah am."

Drawing her attention from the hungry look in his eyes, she looked over to check on Sophie, and fought a smile upon seeing her trying to feed Stu the mousse. As she looked on, the girl jabbed the overloaded spoon towards Stu's mouth, only to miss and cause the entire blob of chocolate to slam into his chin.

"You really need to work on your hand-eye coordination," Stu informed. With a shrug, he wiped the chocolate from his chin with his finger then licked it clean. "Remind me to buy you a baseball and a glove."

"Smart move, give her a hard object and permission to throw it at people," Lou teased. "She'll end up breaking your nose. And what's going on with you two, anyway? Sophie, I thought you hated him?"

"I did." Sophie took Stu's napkin and rubbed at his chin. "D'en he fix me heart waffles. Now I like him okay. He no hurt my Sheamy."

"Mama, I need to use the bath… The restroom."

"I'll take her," Lou offered, already pushing her chair back and getting to her feet. "Miss Sophie, do you need to go?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes… No." Sophie continued to wipe at Stu's chin.

"Why don't you come along just in case? We can wash your hands in the magic sink?"

"YAY!" Sophie shrieked, dropping the napkin and holding her arms out to Lou.

Stephen made a mental note to buy Lou a little something to show his appreciation. Giving her a nod, he resumed the light caresses to Christina's inner thigh. Across from him Helen and Daniel sat, pointedly silent as they sipped their coffee. The table grew quiet as the girls left with Lou, to the point that Stu began drumming his fingers on the table.

"What are you doing?" Christina whispered.

"Shh." With his left hand he reached for her glass of wine. "Have some more to drink."

"I think I've had enough."

"Yeh do look a bit warm. Maybe yeh need to switch to water?"

"There's not enough wine in the world to get me as hot as this," she hissed. Wriggling in her seat, she sighed into her glass before taking a sip. Stephen noticed she'd parted her legs just a little bit.

"Do you have plans for tomorrow, Christina? We were thinking of taking the girls to the zoo."

"They would love that." Her voice was slightly higher than normal but no one seemed to notice.

"We thought it would be nice for the family to spend some time together." Daniel 's stress on the word 'family' wasn't missed by Stephen. "We've been here nearly two days and have barely seen you."

On the other side of Christina, Stu snorted and became interested in the colored-in paper that Scarlett had given him.

"I'm sure you'll agree that it's been stressful the past couple of days." Christina took another sip of wine, her cheeks starting to flush. "But yes, we'll go to the zoo."

Daniel gave a curt nod, making a show of looking at his watch. "We should probably leave now."

Stephen refused to move his hand from Christina's thigh, giving it a firm squeeze to keep her from standing.

"The girls—"

"We'll see them when they get home," Helen interrupted. Avoiding Stu, she rounded the table, mouth curled as though she'd smelled something foul. "Don't stay out too much longer. We don't want them tired tomorrow."

"Right," Christina murmured, frowning as the couple headed for the exit.

"Oi!" Stu shouted, giving a sharp whistle when Helen and Daniel paused. "You forgot to say goodbye."

"Stu, cut it," Stephen warned, not surprised when they continued on their way.

"They're such a fucking delight, though. Don't know how I'll get over not being invited to the zoo tomorrow." The Englishman looked to his friend. "You think they knew you were trying to finger-bang her under the table and that's why they left so early?"

* * *

"Yeh no' havin' second thoughts, are yeh?" Stephen asked, moving to stand behind Christina as she looked over the framed photos on his mantle. Twenty minutes had passed since they'd arrived at his home, during which he'd given a tour of the main floor. She'd been impressed by his kitchen, then the photos had caught her attention. Worried that she had changed her mind as to the reason they were there, he approached carefully.

"No." She walked over to the window. "But it's been so long. I mean... I'm scared. Not of you, but what you do to me."

Stephen pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and considered her words. "What do ah do to yeh?"

"Please, you have me in a puddle with every kiss. If we go further I'll probably combust."

He closed the space between them, each step measured to keep him from lunging. When he reached her he dipped his head and caught her lips with his. Refusing to touch her otherwise, he braced his hands on the wall behind her. His lips were gentle at first but grew in intensity when he felt her tremble. He wanted her to make the first move but was sorely tempted to do it on his own. Especially when her lips parted and the taste of wine exploded in his mouth.

Then she pulled away and he wanted to scream.

"I probably won't be able to see you tomorrow," she whispered.

"Ah know," he sighed. Hands still on the wall, his fingers threatened to gouge through the painted surface. He watched her tongue trace her lips and felt his knees weaken. Never before had he been jealous of a pair of lips. Knowing how that tongue felt against his he could only begin to imagine how it would feel against his skin. "Yeh have a lot to do, don't yeh?"

"Yes. Well no, not really. That's not where I'm going, though." She shook her head, loose tendrils of her curly hair brushing against his forearm. "I just want you to know that I'm going to miss you." One hand landed on his chest, thumb moving in small circles. She looked up at him, letting him see the fire in her eyes, and he longed to touch her. "And... Damnit, Stephen, I'm ready to see if you make me combust or not."

"Yeh sure?"

Christina's sigh was one of frustration. "I'm asking you to fuck me, Stephen." She leaned up until their lips touched. "Don't make me beg."

The vibration of her lips against his nearly sent him over the edge of no return. "Ah doubt yeh know how," he muttered.

"Please," she whispered, nuzzling his jaw before layering kisses along his throat. Her hand left his chest, only to grasp the hem of his shirt and push it upwards. She was obviously too impatient to fuss with buttons. She smoothed her fingers over his abdomen, teeth grazing the side of his neck. "Please, Ste."

He wet his lips, which pulled into a teasing smile. "That's no' really begging, lass."

She pushed him backwards, slipping away and looking back with a smile. "Please, Stephen?" she whispered, reaching behind to unzip her dress. It loosened, sliding low on her arms and he pushed away from the window. As soon as her dress hit the floor she stepped out of it and slipped out of his reach again. "Sit down and let me beg you."

"Yeh don' even want to go upstairs?"

"I can't wait. Please?" she whined. "It's been a while since I tried to seduce anyone, so I'm probably going to go about it all wrong."

"Yeh doin' fine," he promised, giving in and moving to sit on the couch. The suede felt smooth beneath his fingers, which he curled around the edge of the cushion to keep from grabbing her. Watching her approach, he licked his lips. "Consider me seduced."

"That was quick." She smiled, hesitated in front of him. With agonizing slowness she straddled his lap, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"We've got all night," he reminded her. She'd promised him that on the drive over. Her only stipulation was that she be home before the girls woke. Glancing down at the cleavage presented so perfectly by her black lace bra, he felt his mouth go dry with longing. He didn't want to scare her off, though, so settled for resting his hands on her hips. Then, remembering her chastising that she wouldn't break, he tightened his grip and moved her to settle more firmly in his lap.

"You're right," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "But I'm a little impatient."

"Ah'll let yeh have control for now." His lips found the curve of her jaw and he breathed in the faint scent of her perfume. And though he knew she hadn't baked in more than two days, the aroma of cake and frosting clung to her skin. "D'yeh buy cake perfume?" he muttered, aware of her hands sliding down his chest.

"No…" Her fingers landed on his belt and began to fumble. "I just rolled in batter before I got dressed."

His chuckle rumbled against her throat as his hands slid up her back. Fingering the band of her bra, he sought the clasp. He was certain she wouldn't object. "Good idea."

"I thought so." Her voice was laced with laughter, distracting him. Then one hand slipped inside his pants and he sucked in a breath. "Lift up."

He did so, reluctantly pulling back to see what she was doing. She pushed onto her knees, sliding back as she pushed his pants down his thighs. He swallowed, watching her hands move between him. Heady from the sensations he could only let his head fall back as she palmed his cock through his boxer briefs.

She muttered a curse under her breath, out of awe or disappointment he wasn't sure, then suddenly she was moving off his lap. Stephen lifted his head, lips parting to ask what was wrong, only to watch open-mouthed as she knelt next to him. In one fluid movement her bra was gone, drifting to the floor. He caught a glimpse of bare, swaying breasts before her head lowered.

"Fuck," he gasped, head falling back again. He had no idea when she'd pulled his cock free, but he wasn't going to complain. Her hands moved over his length gently, her hair tickled his thigh. Then he felt her hot breath and braced himself. Reaching over, he pushed the hair back from her face. He bit down hard on his bottom lip as her mouth brushed over the very tip, letting his hand move to rest on the small of her back.

She glanced at him, lips curving into a smile. "Touch me?"

He nodded, reaching up to yank at his tie. His hand moved lower, cupping the curve of her backside. Not satisfied with the thin barrier between his skin and hers, though, he pushed her panties down so he could reach beneath. Lush and malleable as he remembered, it felt decidedly better uncovered. Holding his breath in anticipation, he gave her backside a tight squeeze then slid his hand up her body, slipping forward to cup her breast.

Her breath grew hotter against him, her tongue joining in this time, and he almost shouted at her to go further. She seemed to have sensed what he wanted, though, for suddenly her lips parted and the tip of his cock was enveloped in delicious heat.

His ears were ringing. In the haze of passion he wondered why they were ringing in a familiar tune and whined when she began to draw away. "What—" he cut off when he realized it was her phone ringing. Biting back an epithet, he reached for her purse at the far end of the couch. He plunged his left hand inside to find her phone, refusing to release her breast, and prayed she would continue.

**A/N: Yes, I really am that cruel. XD**

**Thank you to ambrosesaysnope, Keeper of Oz, Jojo, ThatGirl54, xKimberly12x, Malabrigo, ghunter182003, MistyKnight, Lou, LilOrchidJenny, Blackhat, charmedbyortonbarrett, Amber, prettybaby69, VolcomStoneBabe, katiefabe, rocknroses1982 for the reviews! Love you all! :)**


	15. Chapter Fifteen - Blown Away

Chapter Fifteen - Blown Away

The writhing about was a clear signal she was doing something wrong. Her heart pounded in her ears, maybe from the position she was in but maybe from the fear that this wasn't how she should be doing things. Daring to glance up, she caught sight of Stephen rummaging around in her purse. Then she could finally hear the ringing. Though Stephen's hand was still on the back of her head, she pulled herself off him, gasping for air.

"Am I doing it wrong? Who's calling?"

"Ah think ah'm about to come, yeh doing just fine."

Beaming at the compliment, Christina pushed her hair behind her shoulders as she pressed a kiss to his lower abdomen. The writhing stopped and she looked over to see he'd pulled out her phone. "Who is it?"

"Home."

Of course. "Probably Helen wanting to know where I keep the good whiskey," she sighed, dropping her head to his lap. "You answer it."

He did so, the hand on the back of her head sliding down to knead her neck. His voice was calm as he greeted the caller. Struck with inspiration, Christina licked her lips and took him into her mouth again.

The hand on her neck clamped down tightly; she heard his sharp intake of breath. Watching his face, she felt a thrill of power upon seeing his head tilt back. Amazed at the effect she had on him, she suckled gently, moving further down his shaft. His fingernails dug into her flesh. Had she been able to, she would have smirked.

"Ah. Sh-she's right – Here!" Stephen groaned so loudly there could be no doubt as to the reason. Chest rising and falling with each sharp breath, he swallowed. "Is it alright if ah take a message?"

There was a distinct whine in his voice when he asked the question. Averting her gaze, Christina lifted her mouth off him. She replaced it with her hand, giving slow, gentle strokes. When he pushed at her neck she looked up at him, surprised. She parted her lips and let her tongue swirl over the tip.

"Ah – shit," he hissed. "Ah understand, but she's a bit busy at the moment."

Then, as she presumed the caller was speaking, his hand grew slack. Not liking the shadow that clouded his face, she pushed herself to her knees, already reaching for the phone.

He muttered something and held the phone out of her reach. "It's Helen."

"What's wrong?"

"Sophie. She has a—"

But she already had the phone and was pressing it to her ear. "What's wrong?" she repeated, this time to the source.

"She's running a fever. I wouldn't have bothered you…" Her tone indicated she would have for anything. "Well, she's asked for you."

"What's her temperature?" She shot Stephen a look of regret before moving away, scanning the nearby area for her bra. How had it gotten to the other side of the room? With one hand she wrenched up her panties, all thoughts of mutual passion and finally having real sex fleeing her mind. When Helen read off the numbers, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. There's children's ibuprofen in the—"

"I've already given her some. You didn't tell me she doesn't take her medicine easily. I had to get Daniel to hold her down."

"She's ill, doesn't like medicine, has had a torturous few days and you forced her to take medicine?" Christina was aghast.

"I would have threatened a spanking but I doubt she even knows what one is."

"She's two years old! You insufferable—"

The phone was pulled from her grasp. She whirled around in time to see Stephen murmur into the phone, "Ah'll have her there as soon as possible."

"That fucking bitch," she seethed as soon as he'd ended the call. "I would have been better off asking two baboons to watch the girls."

"Ah'm sure Stu and Lou wouldn't have minded."

Her outrage over Helen's comments was momentarily forgotten as a laugh bubbled up her throat. "Oh god," she groaned, dropping her head to his chest. "This night has been an all-around failure hasn't it?"

"Ah wouldn't say that." His arms went around her, hands smoothing over her back.

"I'm sorry about this," she muttered. "If Sophie—"

"Shh. Get dressed." He kissed the top of her head. "Let's get yeh home."

"You're not mad?" Christina lifted her head and felt her cheeks burn when he leaned to pick up her bra. She would understand if he was. She would actually prefer him mad over…complacent. In fact, he seemed resigned now. As though he'd had an inkling their time would be interrupted. "Stephen. You can get mad."

"Yeh act like ah'm not mad." He passed over her bra and slipped a kiss to her cheek. "Ah am, but not at you or Sophie. When it's meant to happen, it'll happen."

She nodded. "If I hadn't spent the last five minutes rambling, I could have at least finished you off—"

"Stop," he groaned, adjusting the straps over her shoulders. "Ah refuse to come until yeh've had the same pleasure."

"For some reason I doubt my enjoyment was on your mind when I had your cock in my mouth." Stepping into her discarded dress, she wriggled it into place, turning her back to him. "Could you zip me up, please?"

He did, agonizingly slow, his lips next to her ear. "Trust me, yeh seemed like yeh enjoyed havin' me cock in your mouth."

Her knees weakened, as did her resolve. She closed her eyes, reminding herself that Sophie would no doubt be asleep by the time she arrived. Would it make her a bad parent if she stayed with Stephen a little bit longer? His fingers smoothed along the length of the zipper, one hand lightly grasping her shoulder.

"All done," he murmured. "Just let me find me shirt and we'll go."

"Goddamnit," she whispered when he'd stepped away.

"What'd yeh say?"

"Nothing," she assured, forcing brightness into her voice. Finding one of her shoes near the window she glanced around, spying the other by the couch. She gathered them, wondering when they had been kicked off, and slipped them on. A quick sweep of the room and she realized her bra was on the coffee table. It looked very out of place amid remotes and books. She grabbed it and stuffed it into her purse, gaze landing on a worn copy of _The Collected Works of W. B. Yeats_.

"Yeh ready?"

Looking up, she saw him by the couch, a long-sleeved black t-shirt on instead of the dress shirt he'd worn earlier. She nodded, mind now on her daughter and not the desire to stay with him.

* * *

The game he'd recorded earlier was almost over when Stu called to his fiancée. It was obvious the team he rooted for wasn't going to win but he kept it on anyway just in case. Besides, his bride-to-be had promised him something if he behaved himself at dinner.

"What do you want?" Lou asked whilst leant against the doorway. She'd taken off her dress, now wearing the dress shirt he'd taken off after getting home. Her hair was still up, he noticed, envying the few curls that had loosened and were brushing against her neck. But his mind was now on what she wore – or rather didn't wear – beneath the shirt.

With a grin, Stu nodded towards his lap, knowing no words had to be spoken. But instead of her long legs bringing her towards him, she raised one eyebrow.

"C'mon love," Stu almost whined, feeling a little impatient. "I've been thinking about this all night."

"But you only want me when the soccer is over." Lou had pushed herself from the wall, moving into the room to tidy up. She stayed out of his reach, moving the shoes he'd kicked off and draping his jacket over the back of the armchair.

"Football," Stu corrected, "and that's not true."

"Did you have fun at dinner?"

Stu wanted to groan out loud as she rearranged the decorative pillows on the other couch. "Don't change the subject."

"From what? That was hardly a conversation." Lou neared him to see to the coffee table so he literally grabbed his chance.

Stu slipped his hands around her waist and tugged her down onto him. With a yelp, she was flat on her back with her hands pinned to the couch. Slowly he kissed from her shoulder to the ear, making sure to gently bite at her neck as he went.

"I want your lips around my cock," Stu growled into her ear, thoroughly pleased with himself as he heard her shuddering gasp then felt her body writhe against his.

"Now you know you have to ask nicer than that," Lou managed to say in one rushed breath.

Stu knew she'd already cracked, but he admired that she was trying to put up a strong front. He touched his lips to the side on her neck and heard her sigh. That'd do it.

"I can't have my lips around anything in this position, Stu."

Without hesitation he let her wrists go, leaning back against the couch again with a smirk. He needed some relaxation after what he'd put up with during dinner. And this would certainly do the job. He hadn't started a scene. He hadn't knocked either of the jerks out for their snide comments. He deserved an award, he was sure. And his sweet Lou would see that he got his just desserts.

Lou was already up, hands sliding over his thighs as she dropped onto her knees in front of him.

Just as her skilled hands reached for the button of his jeans, his phone rang beside him. Whoever it was could wait. He didn't bother looking at the caller ID, his eyes were glued on Lou. Her body was angled towards him. He could just see down the top of the shirt. No bra. Licking his lips, he pushed his phone aside.

"That might be important," Lou said as her hands stopped working on his jeans.

"Trust me, it's not." Stu managed to grind the words out, tempted to start undoing his jeans for her.

"Stu..."

With a groan, Stu picked up his phone when it started ringing for a second time. "It's Stephen, must be important if he's calling me instead of fucking Christina."

"Stop being so crass!"

Ignoring Lou's comment for the moment, he answered the call. "What?"

"How yeh doing, fella?"

"About to get a blow-job, what do you want?"

"Can ah talk to Lou?" Stu frowned, eyes on his fiancée as she watched him intently.

"She's about to have her mouth full-"

"For god's sake Stu!" Lou snapped before grabbing the phone from him. "This is real life, not a porno. You've been acting like this all day."

"I'm horny, and Ste wants to talk to you."

Lou rolled her eyes at the comment before pressing the phone to her ear. "Hi Ste, sorry about Stu, you know what he gets like."

Before Lou could say anymore he took the phone back, hitting the speaker button so he could hear the conversation too.

"Ah know, lass."

"What's wrong? I thought you were with Christina?"

"Sophie-"

"Oh god, is she okay?"

Momentarily forgetting his initial goal, Stu reached for Lou's hand and gave a gentle squeeze. For someone who had once told him she disliked all children, she had certainly grown attached to Christina's girls.

"She's fine. She was runnin' a fever so ah had to take Christina home."

"Why?" Stu asked before Lou could speak. Guiding her hand to the front of his jeans, he gave her an imploring look. She rolled her eyes but slowly eased down the zipper.

"She was askin' for her."

"Does she need to go see a doctor?" Lou asked, hand stilling centimeters above Stu's crotch.

"No. Christina told me it happens once in a while. If she's feelin' bad in the mornin' she'll call the doctor."

"Good. Well, talk to you later—" Stu groaned when he felt fingers pinch just above the waistband of his jeans.

"Stop it," Lou muttered before shoving his jeans and boxers down. She did it so roughly he was certain she took half his ass with them. "I'm guessing your original plans… Well."

"Are yeh askin' if we had sex? Because the answer is a big fat no." Stephen sighed and in the background was the sound of a bottle opening.

"The old bitch probably faked it just to keep you from plowing into her daughter in-law." When Lou stared at him, aghast, he took her hand and guided it to his cock.

"Th'hell yeh talkin' about?" Stephen asked.

"Maybe she thinks Christina is cheating on what's-his-name. Or she's just a selfish slag who doesn't want anyone to have any fun."

Lou's hand moved over his length slowly, brow furrowed. "I vote for the latter."

"So what are you going to do mate?"

"Ah'm goin' to have a drink and go to bed."

Twit. Stu kept his hand over Lou's guiding her into a faster motion. "I mean about Christina."

"What the hell can ah do?"

"Christ mate there's a thing called a quickie-Jesus!" he yelped when Lou squeezed him too tightly. "What the hell's the matter now?"

"Christina hasn't had proper sex since before Sophie was born. I hardly think him bending her over in the kitchen while she's cooking dinner is the right thing to do."

"At least it would get them both off until he can give her a proper dicking."

"I hope you didn't talk about me like that when we started dating." Lou's voice sent a chill down his spine, which threatened to kill his erection.

"Of course he didn't lass." Stephen took a noisy swig of his drink. "He said a lot worse."

"Oh." Lou's hand left him completely and she sat back, folding her arms over her chest. "Did he?"

"I swear I didn't." Stu grabbed the phone and growled, "Thanks a lot, Ste."

"Anytime."

"No, Lou, sweetheart, don't." Catching her by the arm when she got to her feet, he yanked her down onto the couch next to him. "Stay there and we'll discuss this after we deal with Ste."

"You've already dealt with him," she pointed out. "Remember? Quickies until he can give her a proper dicking." Snorting, she took the phone from him. She crossed her legs as she yanked the shirt down as far as it would go. A definite sign that she was no longer in the mood to put her lips to good use. "You're off the weekend of our engagement party."

"Ah am?"

"Don't you even look at your schedule anymore?" she scoffed. "Do you think your dick can wait two more weeks before plowing into her?"

"Jesus Christ—"

"Yes, I'm sure she'll have you shouting that and if you don't make her scream it three or four times I'll castrate you myself." Lou was all business now. "Anyway, Stu and I want the girls to stay the night with us—"

"The night of our party?" Stu questioned, lightly tapping her arm. "Don't you think we'll be a little too busy to babysit?" When he received one of her glares he threw up his hands in defeat.

"I'll clear it with Christina," she went on as though he hadn't interrupted. "We'll take them out the next day and spoil them a little. Meanwhile, you can take her to your house and…" Her nose wrinkled. "Do whatever you want to call it."

Stu tapped her arm again. "Lou—"

"Yeh sure?"

"Of course." Lou smiled. "I'll call her in the morning. How long ago did you take her home?"

"About an hour." Another noisy swig. "Ah was informed at the door that ah didn't need to bother comin' in."

"She told you that?" Lou uncrossed her legs, drumming her fingers on Stu's bare thigh.

"No, no. Helen did."

"You didn't get to see Sophie?"

"She was waitin' at the door. Ah went up to tuck her in." He cleared his throat. "Told her some more of a Celtic legend."

"Ugh, that's so sweet."

"How far did you get before the old cunt ruined it for you?" Stu slowly released a breath of relief when Lou slid a leg over his. She propped her foot on his thigh, the bright red polish glinting in the light.

"I don't want to hear this," Lou groaned. "Talk to you later, Ste."

She turned off the speakerphone and handed it over to Stu with a smile. Earlier irritation forgotten, she once more slid to the floor in front of him. Warm fingers quickly worked him into full arousal.

"Well?" Stu adjusted his seat on the couch and tucked the phone against his ear. "How far?"

"If yeh need somethin' to help yeh jack off, there's tons of porn on the internet." A beat of silence, punctuated by another swig. "But ah guess Lou'll get it out of Christina anyway."

"Exactly."

"She was blowin' me."

"No kidding. I didn't think she was the type."

"Trust me, she is." He groaned. "And she's fuckin' great at it too."

"I know what you mean." Damp lips were pressing soft kisses along his shaft. He hummed in approval, his free hand sliding into her hair. Mentally cursing the pins holding it up, he shook her hair until it was loose enough to grab hold of, smirking when she looked up at him.

"Ah'll let yeh go."

"No, I can talk."

"Ah really don't want to hear yeh get yer dick sucked right now. Ah've heard enough of that on the road. Tell Lou ah said thank yeh."

"Ste says thank you," Stu intoned. Then, when she raised her head, he whined. "No, don't stop now."

"Get off the fucking phone, Stuart."

"Yeh heard the woman," Stephen laughed. "Get one for me, mate."

The call ended and Stu dropped the phone. "Have I told you lately that I love you?" he asked gently when her lips danced over his hip.

"I think you mentioned it this morning in the shower."

"Oh, good."

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" she returned.

Before he could answer her head lowered, mouth engulfing him. He groaned in appreciation, tightening his grip on her hair.

She pulled back, ran her tongue over her lips. "Well?"

"I honestly can't remember," he whispered.

"Would you like me to show you instead?"

How did she do it? he wondered as he jerked his head in a nod. Sometimes he had to tie her down to get all control from her. Even then he had doubts as to who was truly the dominant one. Yet all it took was one little touch from her to make him submissive. He made a mental note to return the favor. Not that she would expect it.

"Stu, I asked you a question," she murmured. Lips so close to the tip of his cock that he could feel their heat, she flickered her tongue over him.

She had? Licking his suddenly dry lips, he struggled to recall what she'd asked. Something about showing him. But what? Deciding it couldn't be bad, he nodded. "Yes, please."

And she did.

**A/N: Thank you Malabrigo, ghunter182003, xKimberly12x, Keeper of Oz, ThatGirl54, Nikki, morgan1986chase, Amber, Jojo, wibragirl, canadice, Lou, Blackhat, and Shamaness1171 for the reviews! :)**


	16. Chapter Sixteen - Getting There

Chapter Sixteen – Getting There

The clothes hanger was held tightly in her hand, the garment hanging from it brought close to her body for another inspection. Scrunching up her nose she shook her head and tossed the dress onto the no pile.

"I thought you bought a dress specific for this party?" Stu asked from his position on the bed. Lou could see him in the mirror though - half dressed and playing on his phone. "A very expensive one if my bank statement is anything to go by."

Turning around, hands on hips, she eyed him over. Shirt was still unbuttoned, pants unbuttoned, and jacket slung over the vanity mirror chair. With her hair and make-up perfected, all she had to do was pick that dress that seemed to elude her. "Are you going to finish getting ready any time soon? Christina will be here with the cakes any minute."

"Then you better pick out a dress quick." Lou eyed the dress she had originally picked out for the occasion. It was hanging on the back of the closet door looking just as fabulous as the first time she'd seen it. "I like that one."

"What?"

He pointed to the dress she had just been thinking over. "That dress, you should wear it."

Lou smiled, unsure whether he was just humoring her so she'd hurry up or if he actually was taking an interest. She assumed the former but instead of making a big deal about it she nodded. "I like it too."

"As much as I love you in that." He gestured to her lingerie, casting his gaze over her before continuing, "I want to see you in it."

Lou smiled, appreciating his words. That was until he scratched his chest and let out a burp. The loving atmosphere had burst like a bubble and she went back to starting at the dresses. Several more joined the pile on the floor. With a sigh, she reached for the dress hanging there like a piece of art.

It was heavy and the dusty pink crepe material shimmered in the artificial light. It was perfect - maybe that was why she daren't wear it. It also cost a small fortune. But this was something that would last forever. She likened it to the dress she would wear for the rehearsal dinner and, most importantly, her wedding gown. This was just the first in a line of dresses that would document her journey from single lady to married woman. A smile graced her lips as she imagined passing it down to her daughter, telling tales of the evening that had yet to even play out. It was scary but exhilarating at the same time.

Carefully she slipped the dress from the hanger, fully aware of Stu watching her every move.

"I need help with the zipper." Lou uttered once she had the dress slipped on. Her hands pressed against the clinched in waist of the dress, the bow detail there was the perfect finishing touch.

Stu was behind her, his pants now buttoned up but his shirt still open. She felt him pull together the two halves of the dress before he slowly slipped the zipper upwards.

"Thank you." Turning to face him, she began doing the buttons of his dress shirt. "Now can you please finish dressing?"

"It'll take me two minutes to get ready." He tugged at the lock of hair that brushed her cheek. "You haven't even chosen your shoes yet."

"Shows how much you pay attention." Smoothing the tails of his shirt, she yanked the front of his pants closed and buttoned them. "I picked them out this morning."

"Your hair?" he asked, tugging on the lock again. "Doesn't that take you – Oi!" He arched back when she pushed her hand down the front of his slacks.

"I'm fixing your shirt, hold still."

"Well watch out," he grunted.

"You love it when I play rough," she reminded. Glancing up, she saw the flicker of desire in his eyes and made sure to avoid contact with anything but his shirt. Satisfied, she withdrew her hand and began buckling the belt.

"How much time do we have?"

She recognized the tone. His hand landed on her waist and drew her closer. With a regretful sigh she leaned up to press a kiss on his cheek. "Not enough for that."

He groaned as she slipped away. Pulling the shoe box from the closet, she opened it to reveal the pair of shoes she'd worn only once. She took them out and stepped into them, admiring the soft leather. Balancing on one foot she propped the other on the bed and leaned to fasten the ankle strap.

A large, warm hand caressed the back of her thigh as she shifted to the other foot. Glancing up she saw Stu behind her, his tie draped around his neck. "Need help?"

"No." His hand slid upward, fingers trailing over the bare flesh beneath her dress. "Whatever you do, don't bend over in front of our guests."

"They see the same amount of skin when I go swimming," she reminded.

"That's different." He plucked the elastic band of her panties then let his hand fall to her thigh again.

"Stu, we don't have time."

"Consider it foreplay then." His breath caressed her ear. "As soon as the last guest leaves, you're mine."

A tingle made its way down her spine. Enjoying the heat of his palm on her skin, she lazily glanced to the nightstand. When she saw the books stacked there, cold reality washed through her and she began to pull away. "We'll see."

"What?"

"Scarlett and Sophie are staying the weekend, remember?" Lou ducked around him and got a hairbrush from the dressing table.

"Fuck."

"It's two nights, Stu. You'll live."

"But it's our engagement party." He was perilously close to whining.

"And if they walk in on us?" Bent at the waist, she began brushing her hair into a high ponytail. Her fingers worked quickly to twist the hair into a knot at the crown of her head. Tucking the ends in, she reached for several pins to keep it in place.

"We'll lock the door."

"I won't lock them out, what if they have nightmares?"

"What if they sleep like the dead all night long?" he returned.

She was relieved to see he wasn't angry. A bit put out, yes. Slightly miffed. But not angry. She picked up the can of hairspray and aimed it at her head. "We'll figure it out."

"We'd better. My great-grandparents had fourteen kids in a two-room house. And they didn't even have a lock."

"Something tells me your great-grandparents were a lot quieter than we are." Lou waited for the cloud of hairspray to dissipate before opening her eyes. Leaning close to the mirror, she checked her makeup.

Stu grimaced. "Can we not discuss their sex life? Please."

"You brought it up," she laughed. "How do I look?"

"Flawlessly fuckable as always."

"She's here." As she spoke, the doorbell rang. Stu looked at her, bewildered, as he knotted his tie.

"How did you know?"

"Women's intuition. Plus she said she'd be here at ten of." Lou moved to the window and peered out to see Christina, Stephen, and the girls waiting outside. "Go let them in, I have to finish my makeup."

"But you… Okay," he acquiesced, catching her by the waist. "By the way, I love you."

She allowed herself a brief moment in his arms, reminding herself that the party was a celebration of their love. "I love you more," she whispered.

After a quick kiss, Stu pulled away. Grabbing his jacket, he pulled it on as he went downstairs. "Coming," he bellowed, certain Stephen would be leaning on the doorbell soon. He adjusted his cuffs, did a breath test against his palm, then opened the door.

"About time," Stephen greeted as he entered the house. Balancing a large white box on one hand and a gift bag in the other, he handed the box to Stu.

"Did you want me to open the door naked?" Stu turned to greet Christina. "I don't know where the cake goes," he admitted as he gave her a one-armed embrace.

"Stephen, can you take these?" She handed over the smaller boxes she carried then took the box from Stu. "I'll get everything set up. Where's Lou?"

"Upstairs, gilding the lily."

"Stay in the house, girls," Christina called over her shoulder as she headed for the dining room.

Stu turned to the open doorway, smiling widely as he looked down at Scarlett and Sophie. "I'm sorry, have we been introduced?"

Sophie giggled, swinging her small body so the full skirt of her dress flared. Instead of the usual pigtails or ponytail, her hair was loose, blonde curls tumbling down to her shoulders. Stu spotted a jeweled clip holding the hair from her face. "Way!"

"I'm sure I recognize your voice, Miss, but I'm afraid I don't remember meeting you before." Stu lowered to one knee so he was closer to their level. "Now, how do I know you?"

"You so silly. It's me!" Sophie hugged his neck, giving his cheek a wet kiss. "Go help Mommy wit' cakes now." She rushed after her mother, her dress shoes clattering on the floor.

"No running in the house!" he called after her before turning to Scarlett. "Well, well, look at you."

She grinned, stepping close for a hug. "Mama got us new dresses."

"And scrubbed all the cooties off you, too," he teased, nudging the door closed. "You look so grown up."

"I don't have cooties!" she defended.

"Oh yes you do. Look, your mum forgot one." He lightly pinched her neck, causing her to squeal. Making a show of dropping the invisible pest to the floor and stamping it with his foot, he then brushed his hands on his thighs. "You know how you get cooties?"

"How?" she asked as he took the light shawl from her shoulders.

"Kissing boys."

"Stu! I don't!"

"The cooties don't lie."

"I don't have any!" She was laughing even as she shouted.

"Of course you don't, I just got the last!" He kissed her cheek and straightened. "Go upstairs and find Lou. She'll tell you how to make sure you don't get cooties."

"I don't have any," she grumbled as she skipped to the staircase.

Chuckling, he waited until she made it upstairs and he heard her talking to Lou before heading to the dining room. He passed Stephen on the way and stopped him. "The girls are staying, right?"

"Yeah, ah'm abou' to go get their stuff. Yeh could come lend me a hand?"

Wondering who would keep Lou from sampling the cupcakes while he was gone, Stu hesitated. Then, hearing the front door open, he heard his future mother-in-law's voice and smiled with relief.

Though technically the party was being given by and paid for by Lou's parents, they had given all creative control to their only daughter. As he moved to greet them, Stu thought to himself how well they knew Lou. Her father, a retired commander in the Air Force, possessed a firm handshake and a deceptively easygoing personality. Recalling his anxious first meetings with the man, he realized he was still a bit nervous around him.

He invited Michael to make himself at home and turned to greet Lou's mother. Instantly enveloped in a warm hug, he smiled. Celia was always warm and loving towards him. When he'd visited their home to ask their blessing before asking Lou to marry him, Celia had squealed with delight and hugged him so tightly his back had cracked.

"Where's Louise?" she asked. Her voice still held traces of her Yorkshire upbringing, another reason Stu loved her. She reminded him of home.

"Upstairs. Makeup," Stu explained.

"That's my girl. Hello, Stephen. You've put on some weight. That new girlfriend of yours spoiling you with her cakes, is she?" Celia gave Stephen a quick hug and turned to the stairs.

"Good to see yeh, Mrs. Gordon."

"Sheamy, Mommy says I can't have no cupcakes and that I'll have one later but I really want one now so can you get one for me p'ease? I ain't had one in forever and my tummy is rumbling. Where my stuff? Need to put my clothes up and tuck Gibbs in bed 'cause it's time for him to go night-night and I get to stay up late 'cause of the party but I really want a cupcake now! Way, you get one for me? Mommy like you. I like you too 'cause you no hurt my Sheamy no more. And _whoa_, you pretty!"

Stu didn't fight the laughter as Stephen gathered Sophie in his arms and gently shushed her. At the base of the stairs, Celia looked at the girl, eyes wide. Surely she'd heard of Sophie and her irrepressible mouth?

"You must be little Miss Sophie." Lou's mother smiled warmly.

"That's me. Who you? You look like Miss Lou. But you not old enough to be her mommy." Sophie tilted her head to one side. "How old are you?"

"You're supposed to say 'it's nice to meet you' or 'how do you do,'" Stu informed her.

"Why?"

"Because that's polite, yeh little imp." Stephen set her down.

"Oh." Sophie drew in a deep breath and released it in a heavy sigh. "How do you do? It's ever so nice to meet you, ma'am. You kinda talk like Way. You from the place with the queen too? Do you drink tea? Miss Lou made some for me and I liked it when she put sugar in it. I like your dress. It makes your boobies look big like Mommy's. D'ey soft and squishy like hers too?" She turned to face a stunned Stephen and Stu. "Like that?"

Celia laughed as she headed upstairs. "Oh, I hope my grandchildren are just like her!"

Groaning, Stu moved to the door with Stephen. "Now she'll be on us to start having kids immediately. Thanks a lot, Sophie."

"You're welcome." Her smile was serene as she hurried to follow them.

* * *

Having slipped away from the party for a few moments, Lou now perched on the edge of the bed in the guest bedroom. Christina had come up with her and was unpacking Sophie's bright pink suitcase. Lou took a sip of her champagne, looking on as her new friend placed clothes in the bottom drawer of the dresser.

"Alright, what are the rules?" she asked, pulling Scarlett's purple suitcase close and unzipping it. She set her glass down on the nightstand and began taking out the neatly folded items.

"Rules?" Christina repeated, shaking out a fleece blanket. A multitude of penguins wearing scarves danced across the white background.

"For the girls. You know, no X-rated movies, no soda after nine, that sort of thing." Standing, Lou opened the dresser drawer she knew Scarlett would be able to reach and began placing the clothes inside. Noticing they had been stacked in the suitcase by outfit she laid them out the same way, smiling when she spotted a Barrett Barrage shirt that had been hemmed up to fit the girl.

"Oh." Christina shrugged, tossing socks into Sophie's drawer. "Make sure Sophie brushes her teeth. She likes to just dab toothpaste on her tongue and get the brush wet so you'll have to supervise her. Don't let either of them have too much caffeine tomorrow or you'll never get them to sleep."

"Right."

Christina dropped a large stack of underwear into the drawer then closed it. "If they get to be too much feel free to call me—"

"Please," Lou snorted. "At times Stu has the mentality of a five year-old. I think I can handle these two for forty-eight hours."

"Ever since…" Christina sighed. "Sophie likes to sneak into my bed. She told me she would be a big girl and stay in here with Scarlett, but just in case…"

"Our door will be open all night, and I'm going to leave the bathroom light on." Lou transferred the rest of Scarlett's things then opened the top drawer. "I bought this, do you think they'll need it?" she asked, pulling out the small plug-in nightlight.

"I was going to bring one but it slipped my mind." Christina smiled, obviously relieved.

"I thought we'd go shopping for things they can keep here. You know, so you don't have to pack everything when they stay over." Lou wasn't quite ready to admit she'd already purchased new pajamas for the girls. Or that the fridge and pantry were filled with what she hoped were their favorite foods. "We love spending time with them already. You're practically family. They'll always be welcome here."

"Lou…"

"If you start crying I'll slap you."

"A few months ago I never would have dreamed I'd have friends like you and Stu. Or that I'd have someone like Stephen in my life." Christina picked up the empty suitcases and set them next to the dresser. "Some days I think I should pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. But I don't because what if I am?"

"If you are, it's one hell of a dream." Lou tucked her arm around Christina's shoulders and gave a squeeze. "I'm so glad Ste pestered me to get your number that day."

"I'm glad the girls pestered me to go." The one-armed hug turned into a full-fledged embrace.

"I'm glad I talked him into calling you."

"I'm glad I just walked in on one of my fantasies."

Lou rolled her eyes. "Stu, you're ruining a tender moment."

"No, don't stop on my account," he protested as the women broke apart. "Keep going."

"Is he always this bad?" Christina asked with a laugh, hastily dabbing her eyes with her fingers.

"Only after a couple drinks. You should see him when he has the guys over for a game. He turns into a caveman."

Stu entered the room, grinning, a bottle of beer in one hand. Draping his arm around Lou he pulled her close then did the same to Christina. "Why are you two hiding up here anyway?"

"We were putting away the girls' things," Lou explained, snatching up her glass before she was steered out into the hall.

"Everyone's looking for you. Let me rephrase that." Stu lifted his beer for a sip, managing to keep from knocking Christina in the head with the bottle. "Your parents are looking for you, love. They want to do the toasts. And a horny Irishman is looking for you. He wants to split before you change your mind about leaving Sophie and Scarlett with us."

"No more drink for you after the toasts," Lou suggested. She would be damned if she let him pass out and leave her to handle the girls on her own. "And how do you know Ste is horny?"

"Because he's a man that hasn't had sex in… Well, a while."

"Where are the girls?"

"Scarlett's braiding Drew's hair. They're watching _Despicable Me_ in the living room with Nattie and some other people. When I came upstairs Sophie was telling Heath that she hasn't had a cupcake yet."

"I better get her before she gets a sugar rush—"

"Don't worry, Ste was going to break up her plan." Stu kissed Lou's cheek and let his arms fall when they reached the top of the stairs. "Finish up your girly talk and hurry along."

"We'll be down in a minute." Lou grabbed Christina's hand and pulled her into the master bedroom, turning to face her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"I mean about the plans for tonight. I know you told the girls you have a lot of baking to do but we both know Ste's taking you to his house and locking you in his bedroom for the next two days."

"God you make him sound like a serial killer." Christina drew in a deep breath. "I'm a little nervous, but I know I'll be okay. I trust him."

"Good. You've got everything you need?"

"I packed a bag with a change of clothes and my shampoo, toothpaste—"

"No sexy lingerie?" Lou made a face. "At least tell me the bra and panties you have on right now match?"

"I'm not wearing a bra." Christina glanced down at her dress. Despite Lou's attempts to push her into something brighter, she'd settled on black. It clung to her curves, its sequined bodice glinting in the light. Lou knew that it was shorter than she was used to. A rhinestone bangle complemented it nicely, as did the simple gold hoops in her ears.

"You're wearing the heels," Lou blurted, finally noticing. She'd been in such a rush she hadn't really taken notice of her friend's shoes until now. She smiled proudly at the sight of the black Louboutin Daffodile pumps, which added several inches to the woman's height. "They look gorgeous. You look gorgeous."

"Thank you."

"Have you got condoms?" she asked, mind already on the main topic.

"I—" Flustered, the other woman motioned with her hands. "Doesn't he?"

"You can't expect the man to remember everything." Lou was already crossing the room. Jerking open the top drawer of her dresser, she reached for the box tucked in the back. "I'm on the pill but we keep them on hand just in case." She didn't add that she was planning on stopping the birth control soon. Once she had a chance to sit with Stu and discuss having children, that was.

"I can't go downstairs toting a box of…" Christina looked at the box and her cheeks flushed.

"Don't turn into a prude now. They're fabulous. And I know Ste really likes this brand."

"How do you know?"

"…He tells Stu everything." Lou smirked. "I expect a good report."

* * *

He tried to make things seem casual during the drive to his home, but Stephen was soon aware that Christina was as anxious as he. Covering her bouncing knee with his hand, he gave a gentle squeeze and heard her sigh. "Yeh alright?"

"I will be once we're there."

He glanced at her and saw she was looking out the window. To hide her blush, no doubt. Wetting his lips, he pressed harder on the accelerator. "Why's that?"

"Please don't be coy now," she requested. Her hand slid over his, fingernails raking his skin. "It's not like we're going to your place to go over your tax return."

"Ah don't know… How are yeh wit' numbers?" he asked, feeling the tension break when she laughed. Turning his hand, he twined their fingers and raised her hand to his lips.

Her lips met his as soon as he'd parked in the driveway. It was a kiss of desperation and he refused to let it end, helping her over the center console with no mishap. Managing to climb out, he faltered when her legs slid around his waist. Soft hands clutched the back of his neck as her tongue flickered over his, and he struggled to remember why he was in such a hurry to get inside. Surely they could stay right here all night?

"Stephen," she whispered against his lips.

Groaning he closed the car door and turned in the direction of the house. Her legs dropped suddenly, forcing him to lean down to continue the kiss as he backed up the steps. He reluctantly pulled his hands from her, reaching behind him to fumble with the key and lock. Fingers slid down his chest, popping open the buttons of his waistcoat and the shirt beneath.

She broke the kiss and smiled shyly. Harsh breaths coursed over his chest. "Sorry, I'm getting carried away."

"Don't yeh dare apologize" he muttered, breathing a sigh of relief when he finally unlocked the door. He pushed it open and managed to reset the alarm as her hands worked to remove his shirt and waistcoat. When the door closed he gave in to the pressure of her hands on his arms and turned around, grunting as she pushed him against the solid wood.

"Sorry," she whispered when his head banged against the door.

"S'alright," he grunted, tugging her up for a kiss. He knew she was antsy. So was he. The horrible realization that the phone could ring at any moment set in and he trailed his hand over her back, searching for the zipper of her dress. He'd just located it when he felt his slacks loosen. Then her fingers were on him, teasing his cock. "Christ," he hissed as his cock twitched.

"I never forgot to finish what I started a couple weeks ago," she murmured, placing soft kisses down his chest. Her fingers continued to tease, then she palmed his length.

Licking his dry lips, Stephen watched her head move lower and lower. He thought briefly of the romantic evening he'd planned. The new sheets. The candles. The soft music waiting on his iPod. He even had a bottle of white wine chilling in the refrigerator. When her tongue traced a line down his abdomen, though, all thoughts of romance fled. "Yeh don't have to—"

She paused, lips now mere inches from his cock. "If I do, will you be unable to…" Her mouth quirked. "Rise to the occasion for the rest of the night?"

He felt his brow furrow at the insinuation. "Ah'll be able to."

"Good." Christina dragged his slacks and boxer briefs down past his knees. Now kneeling before him, she grasped the base of his cock firmly.

"Ah, fuck," he groaned as she took him in her mouth. His conscience kicked in, albeit for a split second. Shouldn't he be working to pleasure her? Her tongue rolled against the tip of his cock and he grasped the back of her head. He'd see to her pleasure soon enough. They had all weekend.

She moved slowly, almost reverently, and he had the feeling she was memorizing every inch of him. Her large eyes gazed up at him, hypnotizing him, as though he could have looked away. Utilizing her hands, she pulled back and licked the bottom of his shaft. "Tell me how you like it."

As though he'd tell her she was doing it wrong. Bracing his back against the door, he sank his fingers into her sleek hair. "A bit faster would be nice," he finally said.

"And my hands?"

Fuck. He drew in a deep breath, only to release it in a rush when her tongue swirled over the tip again. "Only when yeh doin' that," he whispered. Almost instantly she grasped him, continuing to flicker her tongue back and forth as she stroked. "Faster."

She complied. The combined sensation of soft tongue and fast hand caused his eyes to close. The foyer was now sweltering; he could feel perspiration beading on his forehead. Her hand moved to his thigh in a gentle caress and he opened his eyes just in time to see her sink down all the way.

A shiver ran up his spine. The muscles in his thighs tightened. His breath hitched. Forcing as many non-erotic thoughts as possible to the forefront of his mind he avoided an embarrassingly quick orgasm. He watched through heavy-lidded eyes as her fingers grasped his wrist, felt the gentle squeeze. Tightening his grasp on her head he guided her further down, his own head slamming back against the door. Breath catching in his throat again, he groaned her name when her mouth tightened as though she were swallowing.

"Hmm?" The questioning moan vibrated around his cock. When he dug his fingers tighter in her hair she followed his guidance, pulling off him and gasping for breath. Her lips glistened and she licked them slowly. Grasping him firmly, she began a rapid stroke as she suckled the tip.

"Just like that," he gasped, no longer caring how quickly he came. His body screamed for release. Knowing that he should warn her when he was about to, he was rendered speechless when her mouth came down swiftly. "Yes," he hissed, now holding onto her head with both hands. "Ah—"

His body went rigid, several curses tumbling past his lips as his cock throbbed. A hearty cry roared in his ears, his eyes squeezing shut while a blinding light seized his mind. Through it all he was aware of only her mouth, he tongue, her throat. She swallowed, greedily, tongue sliding back and forth along the sensitive underside of his cock.

Stephen loosened his grip on her hair, chest heaving as she raised he head. Opening his eyes, he watched her rise to her feet, his hands falling to her shoulders in a gentle squeeze.

"You taste good," she whispered, tenderly kissing the center of his chest.

"Ah'll take yeh word for it." He leaned down to offer a gentle kiss, chuckling when she turned her head. Letting his lips press against her cheek, he wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer.

"Are you going to offer me a drink?" she asked, her voice laced with humor.

He rose to the bait. "Yeh just had one."

"Something cold this time," she laughed. Backing away, she reached to pull the loosened pins from her hair.

"Comin' right up," he promised with a grin. He leaned over to remove his shoes and socks, kicking off his slacks before pulling up his boxers. Realizing that his shirt and waistcoat had only made it down to his elbows he shook them off, finally pushing away from the door.

"Is that the wardrobe for this weekend?" She was stepping out of her heels, pushing them out of the way.

"That sounds like a plan." He let his gaze rove over her figure. "Yer wearin' too much."

Christina turned her back to him and his eyes landed on the zipper. Stepping forward, he lowered it, then slid the dress down her arms. She wriggled to send it past her hips and it fell to her ankles. When she began to step away he caught her by the waist, drawing her back against him. Warm, bare skin resting against his chest, he smiled and placed a kiss on her shoulder.

"That's better," he murmured, trailing his lips to her neck. She gave a little sigh, tilting her head as her hands rested on the arm around her waist. "Let's go get that drink and go upstairs."

**A/N: Gee, I wonder what happens in the next chapter? ;)**

**A super-duper round of thank-yous goes to: xKimberly12x (no old bats in this chapter!), Dana (no murdering of Helen…yet…), prettybaby69 (I had so much fun writing that conversation!), Amber (there's even more blowing in this chapter haha xD), Nikki (WE'RE GETTING THERE. PROMISE), Jojo (Helen is such a bitch isn't she?), Keeper of Oz (everyone needs friends like those two!), Blackhat (Hmm…we'll see), katiefabe (this fic loves you too!), Xandman216 (in-laws from hell sounds like an idea for a reality show), Lou (omgstahp you make me blush! Loveyoustoo!).**

**Seriously, you guys are amazing and I am constantly blown away by everyone's support of this fic. When I sat down to write my first wrestling fic last year I never dreamed I would get to know so many amazing people. I love each and every one of you and again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! :)**


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